Perceptions of Efficacy are Key Determinants of Mask-Wearing Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Public health officials recommend wearing a mask to reduce the spread of COVID-19, yet individual compliance varies. While existing research has revealed various socio-demographic determinants of mask-wearing, it has largely overlooked variables found to influence compliance with similar public health recommendations, such as individuals’ perceptions of the threat at hand and the efficacy of suggested risk-reduction behaviors. Based on data from a survey of 3,059 representative respondents across six U.S. states, we find that respondents’ perceptions of whether they are able to wear a mask (self-efficacy) and whether masks are effective in reducing COVID-19 transmission (response efficacy) better predict mask-wearing behavior than a number of commonly-cited socio-demographic factors. These results suggest that messaging focused on the relative ease and effectiveness of mask-wearing may help to increase compliance with public health recommendations for mitigating COVID-19.