Predicting the Use of Masks in the COVID-19 Based on the Systems Thinking, Personal - Social Responsibility, Moral Obligations and Individualism: An Approach of Consumer Behavior Theory

Since the release of COVID-19 epidemic in late December 2020, recommendations issued for personal protection by the World Health Organization and National Health Organizations around the world. The most prominent of which has the use of masks to prevent the spread of the virus. Despite the importance of this solution, many people still resist using the mask. Therefore, this study, by emphasizing the effect of individual beliefs and norms on consumer behavior, predicts the rate of wearing of mask by people with 4 factors: systemic thinking, individual-social responsibility, moral obligations and individualism. The statistical population of this research consists of citizens of Kashan city. A questionnaire has been used to collect data. The results of the mean tests indicate that women use masks more than men. Also, with increasing age and education, the use of masks has increased. The results of regression analysis test show that 4 predictors had predictive power. The rate of mask use has a positive and significant relationship with the variables of systems thinking, individual-social responsibility, moral obligations and a negative and significant relationship with individualism. Also, moral obligations (β=0.694; p-value<0.05) and systemic thinking (β=0.107; p-value<0.1) had the most and least effect on the criterion variable (mask wearing), respectively. According to the findings of this study, it seems necessary to create and develop a systemic thinking, pay attention to individual and social responsibilities, strengthen moral obligations and avoid individualism in relation to desirable collective behaviors to manage a pandemic crisis. As a result, implementing strategies to enhance these individual characteristics can help can help to strengthen and form desirable collective behaviors such as wearing a mask in the time of COVID-19.