To Mask or Not to Mask: Salience of Risk and the Efficacy of Government Messaging
23 Pages Posted: 22 Feb 2021
Date Written: November 19, 2020
Abstract
During public health crises and other emergencies, governments send messages to help residents
decide how to react. When and what kind of messages are effective? This study documents that
government messaging has the largest impact when risk is least salient to individuals. In an online
experiment, we test the interactive effects of displaying state COVID-19 statistics and government
messages (e.g., recommendations on mask-wearing) on Americans’ valuation for masks at a time when messaging about the appropriate mitigating actions was very much in flux. Our findings suggest that sending an action-oriented message early is crucial for effective government messaging.
Keywords: salience, voluntary compliance, health, messaging, government, masks, COVID-19
JEL Classification: C9, H12, I12
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation