Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement
Although recent studies on the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have highlighted the negative effects of moral disengagement on intentions to comply with COVID-19 containment measures, little is known about the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between regulatory self-effi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000363 |
| _version_ | 1811255574928556032 |
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| author | Chiara Remondi Flavia Cirimele Concetta Pastorelli Maria Gerbino Fulvio Gregori Maryluz Gomez Plata Antonio Zuffianò |
| author_facet | Chiara Remondi Flavia Cirimele Concetta Pastorelli Maria Gerbino Fulvio Gregori Maryluz Gomez Plata Antonio Zuffianò |
| author_sort | Chiara Remondi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although recent studies on the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have highlighted the negative effects of moral disengagement on intentions to comply with COVID-19 containment measures, little is known about the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between regulatory self-efficacy in complying with the containment measures, beliefs in conspiracy theories and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors.Data were collected from 1164 young adults (women, N = 796; 68.4%; mean age 25.60 ± 4.40 years) who completed an online survey from 15th May to 22nd June 2021. Results of the multi-group path analyses indicated that higher beliefs in conspiracy theories were associated with lower compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors, whereas higher self-efficacy beliefs in complying with the containment measures were associated with higher compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors. Moral disengagement significantly mediated the associations between beliefs in conspiracy theories, regulatory self-efficacy, and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors. Finally, the tested model was gender-invariant.Findings suggest that public health authorities and social care professionals should promote interventions aimed at improving regulatory self-efficacy, emphasizing the moral significance of respecting or ignoring the recommended COVID-19 measures (e.g., physical distance in public), and enhancing people's concern for the potential harms of their immoral actions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:26:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00f7b3cd98e24d14b6b2d9b10d0b814b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6227 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:26:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-00f7b3cd98e24d14b6b2d9b10d0b814b2022-12-22T03:23:16ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Ecological and Social Psychology2666-62272022-01-013100069Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagementChiara Remondi0Flavia Cirimele1Concetta Pastorelli2Maria Gerbino3Fulvio Gregori4Maryluz Gomez Plata5Antonio Zuffianò6Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Correspondence author at: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Roma Italy.Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyGrupo de investigación Cognición y Educación, Programa de Psicología, Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, ColombiaDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyAlthough recent studies on the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have highlighted the negative effects of moral disengagement on intentions to comply with COVID-19 containment measures, little is known about the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between regulatory self-efficacy in complying with the containment measures, beliefs in conspiracy theories and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors.Data were collected from 1164 young adults (women, N = 796; 68.4%; mean age 25.60 ± 4.40 years) who completed an online survey from 15th May to 22nd June 2021. Results of the multi-group path analyses indicated that higher beliefs in conspiracy theories were associated with lower compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors, whereas higher self-efficacy beliefs in complying with the containment measures were associated with higher compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors. Moral disengagement significantly mediated the associations between beliefs in conspiracy theories, regulatory self-efficacy, and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors. Finally, the tested model was gender-invariant.Findings suggest that public health authorities and social care professionals should promote interventions aimed at improving regulatory self-efficacy, emphasizing the moral significance of respecting or ignoring the recommended COVID-19 measures (e.g., physical distance in public), and enhancing people's concern for the potential harms of their immoral actions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000363Moral disengagementCOVID-19Self-efficacyConspiracy beliefs |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Remondi Flavia Cirimele Concetta Pastorelli Maria Gerbino Fulvio Gregori Maryluz Gomez Plata Antonio Zuffianò Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology Moral disengagement COVID-19 Self-efficacy Conspiracy beliefs |
| title | Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement |
| title_full | Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement |
| title_fullStr | Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement |
| title_short | Conspiracy beliefs, regulatory self-efficacy and compliance with COVID-19 health-related behaviors: The mediating role of moral disengagement |
| title_sort | conspiracy beliefs regulatory self efficacy and compliance with covid 19 health related behaviors the mediating role of moral disengagement |
| topic | Moral disengagement COVID-19 Self-efficacy Conspiracy beliefs |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622722000363 |
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