“We Are All in This Together”: Which Memorable Moral Messages Guided Student Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed lessons about the moral bases of student compliance with pandemic health messaging, which is a vital concern for educational institutions where students learn and live in close proximity. Existing theoretical and empirical work suggests that audiences may be receptive when prescribed behavior aligns with memorable moral messages (MMM) received from family members or other valued sources. We report the results of two studies that examined the nature of MMM that students found relevant in the fall of 2020 and the moral values they appeared to invoke. In the first, focus group interviews and qualitative thematic analysis were used to identify underlying moral themes. Findings indicated that students were influencegd by MMM focused on empathy/caring, those that addressed communal versus individual responsibilities, and messages that prioritized virtues that were needed (e.g., patience) during the pandemic. During this first phase of the research, we also collected a verbatim list of MMM that students reported recalling and using. To determine if quantitative evidence supported the three-part categorization scheme, a second study asked a sample of 327 students to rate the influence of the MMM reported in Study One. Exploratory factor analysis largely confirmed Study One, with consideration for others, self-determination, and communal responsibility emerging as primary moral considerations. Findings of the two studies are interpreted as partial support for moral foundations theory and consistent with the expectations of negotiated morality theory. Recommendations for health educators and experts are offered, including framing compliance guidelines in a manner consistent with MMM received from family members and helping students navigate the moral tension between self and communal interests.