"All We Need is Love": The Influence of Humanized Communication to Selected Adult Quezon City Residents in Adopting Preventive Measures against COVID-19

Abstract

There are numerous ways to influence and motivate people to action. In the Philippines, public compliance to COVID-19 preventive measures has become quite challenging. Reports showed in 2021 that thousands of quarantine violators were recorded by the PNP. Medical health experts have proven that layers of protection such as vaccination, face masks, eye protection (using face shields), physical distancing, minimizes the risk of contracting the virus. Thus, it is significant to carefully consider the communication strategy that should be employed to motivate the public to adopt the changes brought by the “new normal” era because of the COVID-19. In this study, the researcher employed theory of reasoned action to determine what motivates the public’s intention to adopt the preventive measures against COVID-19. According to its proponents, there are two variables that influence the intention of an individual to adopt a behavior; the attitude towards behavior and the subjective norm. It is said that the higher positive attitude towards a behavior and subjective norm a person has, the intention to adopt the behavior is more likely to happen. Hence, the researcher introduced in this study “humanized communication” as a factor that also influences positively the intention of an individual to adopt the said behavior. Humanized communication refers to the use of exceptional storytelling that enhances persuasive messages by touching emotions and moving people to favorable response. Thus, humanized communication through storytelling was measured through the following variables; (1) If it touches EMOTION, (2) If it evokes EMPATHY, and (3) if it inspires ACTION.

The study collected and analyzed data from 278 adult respondents from Quezon City. To measure the association between the factors of humanized communication and preventive measures compliance against COVID-19, the Spearman’s rank correlation test was used. Furthermore, Cronbach’s Alpha was employed to measure the reliability of the test.

Results showed that the ad campaign which uses a humanize communication strategy through storytelling that 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 communication experts may consider humanized communication through storytelling technique as a factor that can be maximized in crafting effective health advertisement campaign.