#Study shows how fear encourages physical distancing during pandemic (RSS) Study shows how fear encourages physical distancing during pandemic (ATOM) The Medical News The Medical News (RSS) The Medical News (ATOM) alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate -- * Study shows how fear encourages physical distancing during pandemic * Download PDF Copy -- to avoid close contact. Despite guidelines plastered on the walls and floors of grocery and retail stores encouraging customers to maintain six-feet of physical distance, many do not. A new study by researchers at the University of Houston Conrad N. -- Adjusting the messaging to stress the negative health outcomes associated with not following physical distancing guidelines, including the possibility of severe sickness or death, could more effectively persuade consumers to comply, according to the study co-authored by UH -- information either negatively or positively. Based on a hypothetical supermarket scenario, survey respondents were presented with different physical distancing messages that either used preventive or promotive language - some included a "Mr. Deadly COVID-19" scary face. The preventive messaging emphasized potential costs and negative outcomes: If you don't maintain physical distance, you could get infected and endanger your life. In contrast, promotive messaging highlighted potential benefits and positive outcomes: Maintaining physical distance protects you from infection and secures your life. Related Stories -- Despite a consistent rise in coronavirus cases and deaths, many customers underestimate the importance of complying with physical distancing. A survey of grocery and food workers conducted by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union at the beginning of the pandemic last spring, found that up to 85% of customers at grocery and retail stores did not practice physical distancing. Other surveys have revealed that people consistently underrate the risk of getting infected themselves or transmitting the virus to others. The researchers hope the service industry will adapt and change how they frame and present physical distancing appeals, particularly small retail and grocery businesses which lack the resources to fully implement expensive health and safety interventions. "This is more about playing with the human mind, which we know is more impactful than actual devices such as partitions or physical barriers," said Guchait. "We encourage stores to add the picture of a scary coronavirus along with preventive messaging because it could save them -- Journal reference: Khoa, D.T., et al. (2020) Using regulatory focus to encourage physical distancing in services: when fear helps to deal with Mr. Deadly COVID-19. The Service Industries Journal. doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2020.1831477.