Abstract
Pandemics threaten world stability; however, spread is mitigated with prevention behaviors. We introduce “personally relevant knowledge” to explain the knowledge–behavior gap (i.e., objective and subjective knowledge on information acquisition and behavioral change). Hypotheses are derived from prior knowledge literature, economic psychology, and relevance theory. Multimethod analysis (survey data, partial least squares structural equation path modeling [PLS-SEM], and an asymmetric information theoretic statistical analysis) is applied to H1N1 data from the USA and Australia. Personally relevant knowledge is an important addition to prior knowledge conceptualizations, and information theory uncovers asymmetric variable relationships concerning the knowledge–behavior gap, not captured by PLS-SEM.
Highlights
People are mobile and diseases travel with them
Using data from the most recent (2009 H1N1) pandemic, we investigate the roles of prior knowledge and personally relevant knowledge as drivers of information acquisition and pandemic prevention behavior
Objective and subjective prior knowledge influences behavior (Brucks, 1985; Moorman et al, 2004), and we examine the role of relevant knowledge as a mediator between prior knowledge and behavior
Summary
People are mobile and diseases travel with them. This is exemplified by COVID-19, the current pandemic disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Using data from the most recent (2009 H1N1) pandemic, we investigate the roles of prior knowledge (objective and subjective) and personally relevant knowledge as drivers of information acquisition and pandemic prevention behavior. Within a pandemic context, the impact of prior knowledge on two outcomes: disease prevention information acquisition and behavior.
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