The Effects of Scarcity Type and Regulatory Fit on Health Behavior Decision-Making

Abstract: Health issues are of great importance to both individual and social development. Researchers have been paying attention to how to promote healthy behavior decision-making and seeking effective nudge programs. This article is based on the health belief model and regulatory focus theory, by subdividing the scarcity types - demand scarcity and supply scarcity, and incorporating the personal trait of regulatory focus, to explore the impact of the matching of scarcity types and regulatory focus  on health behavior decision-making and its mechanisms.
Study 1 conducted a nationwide HPV vaccination willingness survey, divided scarcity types based on the vaccine supply and reservation status in the region displayed on the vaccine appointment applet, and examined the impact of the matching of vaccine scarcity types and regulatory focus on vaccination willingness. Study 2 used an experimental method to activate the scarcity type, and added health scenarios of fitness, physical examination, and vaccination to test the impact of the matching of scarcity type and regulatory focus on health intentions. Study 3 continued to examine the impact of the matching of scarcity type and regulatory focus on health behavior decision-making by simultaneously activating scarcity type and regulatory focus and incorporating real health behavior indicators, and explored the mediating mechanism.
Based on the findings from these three studies, we observed that scarcity type and regulatory fit can significantly influence health behavior decision-making. Study 1 demonstrated that overall vaccine willingness remained high across all scarcity conditions. Considering the impact of the past pandemic, the subsequent studies expanded the range of health-related scenarios to further explore the matching effects. In Study 2, we found that under demand-based scarcity, individuals with a prevention regulatory focus displayed higher health intentions, while under supply-based scarcity, individuals with a promotion regulatory focus showed higher health intentions. There were no significant differences in health intentions in the virtual vaccine scenario. To avoid potential ceiling effects, vaccine-related materials were excluded in subsequent studies. Study 3 once again confirmed the promoting effect of the match between regulatory focus and scarcity type on health behavior, and found that this effect was mediated by value perception. Additionally, the study demonstrated that the fit between trait regulatory focus and scarcity type significantly predicted actual health behavior.
This study extends research on scarcity to the field of health behavior decision-making and provides a research basis for developing health promotion strategies that match personal characteristics. The insights derived from this study can inform individuals and decision-makers in effectively leveraging the congruence between scarcity types and individual motivations, ultimately leading to improved public health outcomes.