Publication record
- Original publication period
- July–December 2020
- Digitized / uploaded online
- August 10, 2026
The digitization/upload date records when this file was added to the website; it is not the article's original publication date.
Abstract
Compliance with health and safety protocols is often described as an individual choice, yet adherence depends on whether guidance is trusted, understandable, materially possible, socially supported, and fairly enforced. This behavioral and policy review synthesizes evidence available through 2021 and develops a Feasible Compliance model with five conditions: credible guidance, practical capability, supportive norms, proportionate enforcement, and corrective learning. The model explains why repeated reminders may fail when households lack masks, water, space, transport alternatives, income protection, or confidence that rules are consistently applied. It also distinguishes observation of behavior from assumptions about motivation. The article proposes a local compliance audit that records the required action, the barrier, the responsible authority, the enabling measure, and the review date. It argues that communication and enforcement should be paired with resources and grievance routes. This is a conceptual synthesis; it does not calculate compliance rates or assess a named community.