Informative Prescriptions to Motivate Participation in Community Activities for Primary Prevention of Isolation and Loneliness

ABSTRACT This study explored how informational prescriptions enhance willingness to participate in community initiatives that contribute to the primary prevention of isolation and loneliness, focusing on presenting norms. A randomized controlled trial was adopted, in which survey participants were randomly assigned to three groups. At the beginning of each web questionnaire, different norms were presented to compare their impact on the responses. The results indicated that for primary prevention, presenting norms regarding participation in initiatives had no effect on motivation. However, for secondary and tertiary prevention, in which individuals were already experiencing isolation or loneliness, presenting the norms had a negative anchoring effect, proving counterproductive.