Advice for Reducing Undesirable COVID-19 Behaviors

In one sentence

To stop a behavior, you must stop highlighting the "bad" acts (which inadvertently normalizes them) and instead highlight the "good" acts while using social disapproval to label the "bad" ones.

Why read this (and who it's for)

This is for anyone in a leadership, communication, or policy role who needs to influence group behavior—specifically when trying to discourage a common but harmful activity. It solves the "backfire" problem where warning people about a behavior actually makes that behavior more common. After reading, you will be able to design communication campaigns that leverage social proof and social disapproval rather than just "reporting" on problems.

The big idea

The central thesis is that human behavior is heavily influenced by social proof: the tendency to look at what others are doing to determine our own actions. When communicators try to warn the public about a problem (e.g., "Too many people are ignoring mask mandates"), they inadvertently create a "Look at all the people who are doing this" message. This signals to the public that the behavior is common, which actually encourages more people to participate in it.

To fix this, Cialdini argues we must flip the script. Instead of highlighting the "bad" behavior, we must highlight the "good" behavior (the majority). We must show the public that the desired behavior is the norm. Additionally, we must employ communicated social disapproval—giving a name to the undesirable behavior to create a social stigma that discourages participation.

Key ideas

The Normalization Trap

• What it is — Highlighting a negative behavior to warn people against it often backfires because it signals that the behavior is common.
• Why it matters — If you tell people "many people are stealing," they may think, "Well, everyone else is doing it, so I might as well too."
• In the book — Cialdini notes that "Within the lament, 'Look at all the people who are doing this undesirable thing' lurks the undercutting message, 'Look at all the people who are doing it.'"

Positive Social Proof

• What it is — The practice of highlighting the majority of people who are acting correctly to establish a new norm.
• Why it matters — It changes the social "default." When people see that the vast majority are doing the right thing, they are more likely to conform to that behavior.
• In the book — Cialdini suggests showing photos of empty streets, empty churches, and empty parks to normalize social distancing.

Communicated Social Disapproval

• What it is — The use of social pressure and labels to discourage behavior.
• Why it matters — Humans are deeply influenced by the fear of social disapproval; knowing that a behavior will lead to a specific social label can be a powerful deterrent.
• In the book — Cialdini highlights how social disapproval is "enormously influential in directing human conduct."

The Power of Labeling

• What it is — Identifying a specific, socially unappealing word to describe someone who violates a norm.
• Why it matters — It forces the individual to confront the social consequences of their actions.
• In the book — A study on "fare dodging" found that labeling those who don't pay as "Cheaters" significantly reduced the behavior.

Witnessed Disapproval

• What it is — The impact of seeing someone else express disapproval of a behavior.
• Why it matters — It creates a powerful, immediate social cue that the behavior is unacceptable.
• In the book — In a study on littering, participants saw a man disapprovingly picking up litter; this reduced the littering rate to zero.

Frameworks & tools

The Social Proof Flip

Use this when you need to encourage a group to adopt a new, positive behavior.

1. Identify the Undesirable Behavior: What is the "bad" thing people are doing?
2. Stop Highlighting the Bad: Remove any messaging that focuses on the frequency of the bad behavior.
3. Highlight the Good: Find and share images/stories of the "majority" who are doing the right thing.
4. Show the Norm: Use visual evidence (like photos of empty streets) to show that the desired behavior is the standard.

The Social Labeling Method

Use this to stigmatize a specific violation of rules.

1. Survey the Audience: Ask the group what word they would use to describe someone who violates the rule.
2. Identify the "Winner": Choose the word that was nominated most often.
3. Publicly Announce the Label: State clearly that "This is the word people will say to themselves about you, or out loud to you, if they see you violating proper practice."
4. Deploy the Label: Place the word on signs in high-visibility areas where the violation occurs.

Memorable examples & stories

The Petrified Forest Sign

A sign at a national park stated: "YOUR HERITAGE IS BEING VANDALIZED EVERYDAY BY THEFT LOSSES OF PETRIFIED WOOD OF 14 TONS A YEAR." This actually tripled theft (to 7.92%). Conversely, a sign showing a lone thief (implying few people steal) reduced theft by half (to 1.67%). Lesson: Don't normalize the bad behavior by highlighting its frequency.

The Littering Experiment

In a study, participants were asked to litter a handbill. When they saw a man disapprovingly picking up litter from the ground and depositing it in a waste container, the littering rate dropped to zero. Lesson: Social disapproval is a powerful, immediate deterrent.

The "Cheater" Label

Researchers looked at "fare dodging" on trains and subways. They asked people what they would call someone who didn't pay their fare. The most common answer was "Cheater." When this word was used in an information campaign, it significantly reduced the problem. Lesson: Specific, socially-charged labels can change behavior.

Key quotes

"Within the lament, 'Look at all the people who are doing this undesirable thing' lurks the undercutting message, 'Look at all the people who are doing it.'" Why it matters: This explains why "awareness" campaigns often fail—they accidentally provide social proof for the bad behavior.

"To suppress the act of littering, displaying social disapproval of the act was exceedingly effective." Why it matters: It highlights that social pressure is often more effective than simple instruction.

"This is the word people will say to themselves about you, or out loud to you, if they see you violating proper practice." (paraphrased) Why it matters: This is the core mechanism of social labeling—making the social cost of the behavior visible.

How to apply it

This week

• Audit your communications: Look at any emails, posts, or signs you've created to "warn" people about a behavior. Do they highlight the "bad" behavior? If so, rewrite them to highlight the "good" behavior.
• Identify the "Label": If you are trying to stop a specific behavior (like being late to meetings), ask your team what they would call someone who consistently does this.

Ongoing

• The "Good" Default: Whenever you communicate a rule, ensure the visual/verbal focus is on the people who are following it.
• Social Labeling: When a rule is broken, use the specific "label" identified by the group to describe the behavior, rather than a generic "please don't do this."

Common pitfalls

• The Awareness Fallacy: The belief that "if people know it's a problem, they will stop." Cialdini shows that awareness of a problem can actually provide the social proof needed to continue the behavior.
• Over-reporting: Thinking that "more data" on the bad behavior helps. In reality, more data on the bad behavior can normalize it.

Connects to

• Social Proof (Robert Cialdini): This is the foundational theory of how humans look to others to determine correct behavior.
• Nudge Theory (Richard Thaler): Specifically, "choice architecture"—how we can design environments to make the "good" behavior the easiest and most socially rewarding choice.

If you remember only three things

• Stop highlighting the "bad" behavior; it normalizes it.
• Highlight the "good" behavior to create a new social norm.
• Use "social disapproval" labels (like "Cheater") to stigmatize undesirable actions.

Internalize it

• Reflection questions

  • Where am I currently highlighting a "bad" behavior that might be making it more common?
  • If I wanted to stop a specific behavior in my office/home, what is the "label" people would use for someone who does it?
  • How can I change my communication to show the "majority" doing the right thing?

• Flashcards Q: Why does highlighting a bad behavior often backfire? A: Because it provides "social proof" that the behavior is common, which encourages others to do it.

Q: What is the best way to communicate a new norm? A: By highlighting the "good" behavior and showing that the majority of people are already doing it.

Q: What is "communicated social disapproval"? A: Using social pressure and specific labels to stigmatize undesirable behavior.

Q: What happened in the Petrified Forest study when a sign highlighted "14 tons" of stolen wood? A: It nearly tripled the theft because it normalized the behavior.

Q: How did the "Cheater" label affect fare dodging? A: It significantly reduced the problem by making the social cost of the behavior clear.

Fidelity note

This summary is based entirely on the provided text. The text is a blog post/short essay rather than a full-length book. The summary captures Cialdini's specific recommendations for COVID-19 behaviors (social distancing, mask-wearing) and the supporting research (Petrified Forest, littering, fare dodging) provided in the source.