How to make people follow healthy habits

Invoking fear about a health problem may not be enough to change behaviour, says a study that found adding a little hope to a message might make people more willing to take preventive action. The findings, published online in the journal Health Communication, showed that hope and self-efficacy the belief that people can help themselves significantly predicted intentions to take action against skin cancer, such as wearing sunscreen or protective clothing. “With health messages, it’s not enough just to tell people, or merely educate them, you need to motivate them, and emotions are really good motivators,” said one of the researchers Jessica Myrick, Associate Professor at Pennsylvania State University in the US.

From The Indian Express - READ FULL ARTICLE  [Click here]