"All we need is love": The Influence of Humanized Communication to Selected Adult Quezon City Residents in Adopting Preventive Measures against COVID-19

Abstract

This study highlighted the principle of humanized communication through storytelling as a strategy in influencing the intention of selected adult audiences from Quezon City, Philippines in adopting preventive measures against COVID-19. Using the the concept of theory of reasoned action as a framework, the proponents (Fishbein & Ajzen) include two variables that influence the intention of an individual to adopt behavior; the attitude towards a behavior and subjective norm. The theory concludes that an individual with higher positive attitude towards a behavior and subjective norm, the likelihood to adopt the behavior increases as well. In this study, the researcher introduced humanized communication as a factor that positively influences the intention to adopt a behavior. Measured through the following variables: (1) If it touches emotion, (2) if it evokes empathy, and (3) if it inspires action. Using Spearman's rank correlation test, it measured the association between the factors of humanized communication and preventive measures compliance against COVID-19 from 278 selected adults from Quezon City. For the reliability of the test, Cronbach's Alpha was employed. Results showed that the advertisement campaign which uses a humanized communication strategy was able to tap emotion, evokes empathy and inspire action has a positive correlation to influence the individual's intention to adopt the preventive measures against COVID-19. Hence, health communcation experts may consider humanized communication through storytelling technique as a factor that can be maximized in crafting effective health advertisement campaign.