Fostering Prosocial Preventive Behaviours Through Awe
ConditionInfectious Diseases
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorThe University of Hong Kong
About this trial
The goal of this randomized control trial is to investigate the impact pf awe on prosocial preventive behaviours against infectious diseases among adults from Hong Kong, Singapore, and ten major cities in Mainland China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xi'an, Nanjing). The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does experiencing awe increase adults' intentions to engage in prosocial preventive behaviours against infectious diseases, including vaccination, mask wearing, and social distancing? * Does the impact vary across three research sites?
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Adults (age ≥18 years) who live in
Hong Kong, Singapore, and ten major cities in Mainland China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xi'an, Nanjing) over the past one year
Able to read and understand written Chinese or English
Have access to the internet through computers, mobile phones, or tablets
Disqualifiers
Individuals with cognitive or linguistic difficulties that would prevent them from completing an online survey will be excluded.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Awe intervention
BehavioralThe intervention is a three-step mini game named Hidden Picture Puzzle designed to induce the feeling of awe. In the game, participants will first see a picture of nature covered by six opaque blocks. They will be asked to guess the content of the picture. After making their choice, participants will be instructed to click the six blocks to gradually uncover the picture. Once all six blocks are removed, the full image will be revealed. In the final step, participants will be instructed to imagine themselves in the scene and describe their feelings by selecting the word from a provided list. To ensure that participants will have sufficient time to complete the imagination tasks, they will be required to pause for at least 15s before proceeding to indicate their immediate feeling. Each participant will complete four rounds of this mini game, each with a different picture.
Neutral imagination
BehavioralFor the control group, the mini game Hidden Picture Puzzle will also follow a three-step format, identical in structure to the intervention condition. However, the images provided will depict everyday objects (e.g., a bottle) rather than nature scenes. Similarly, when participants are asked to guess the content of the picture. After the participants finish uncovering the pictures, they will be asked to imagine their interaction with these daily objects and describe the features of the objects by selecting a word from a provided list. As in the intervention group, participants in the control group will complete four rounds of the mini game, each with a different image.
Treatment groups
456 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Awe intervention groupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Neutral imagination control groupPlacebo comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Intentions to participate in future preventive behaviours
Participants will be asked about their intentions to participate in future vaccination, mask wearing, and social distancing during next winter influenza season using a 7-point Likert scale (1=Never, 7=Certain).
Time frame
Immediately after they complete the game with manipulation2
Behavioural choices in the pandemic vignettes
Based on a hypothetical infectious disease pandemic, six vignettes will be shown to the participants, comprising three on vaccination and three on social distancing. Each vignette illustrates a trade-off between personal cost and social benefit in engaging in these prosocial behaviours. Participants will be asked to report how likely will they are to engage in the prosocial preventive behaviours using a 7-point Likert scale (1=Never, 7=Certain).
Time frame
Immediately after they complete the game with manipulationSecondary outcomes
1
Intentions to engage in social activities
Participants will also be asked their intentions to engage in social activities using a 5-point Likert scale (1=Very unwilling, 5=Very willing).
Time frame
Immediately after they complete the game with manipulationSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov