Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lukas Hensel; Marc Witte; A. Stefano Caria; Thiemo Fetzer; Stefano Fiorin; Friedrich M. Götz; Margarita Gomez; Johannes Haushofer; Andriy Ivchenko; Gordon Kraft-Todd; Elena Reutskaja; Christopher Roth; Erez Yoeli; Jon M. Jachimowicz

doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015

Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lukas Hensel, Marc Witte, A. Stefano Caria, Thiemo Fetzer, Stefano Fiorin, Friedrich M. Götz, Margarita Gomez, Johannes Haushofer, Andriy Ivchenko, Gordon Kraft-Todd, Elena Reutskaja, Christopher Roth, Erez Yoeli, Jon M. Jachimowicz

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

We conducted a large-scale survey covering 58 countries and over 100,000 respondents between late March and early April 2020 to study beliefs and attitudes towards citizens’ and governments’ responses at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most respondents reported holding normative beliefs in support of COVID-19 containment measures, as well as high rates of adherence to these measures. They also believed that their government and their country's citizens were not doing enough and underestimated the degree to which others in their country supported strong behavioral and policy responses to the pandemic. Normative beliefs were strongly associated with adherence, as well as beliefs about others’ and the government's response. Lockdowns were associated with greater optimism about others’ and the government's response, and improvements in measures of perceived mental well-being; these effects tended to be larger for those with stronger normative beliefs. Our findings highlight how social norms can arise quickly and effectively to support cooperation at a global scale.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	473-496
Number of pages	24
Journal	Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Volume	193
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015
Publication status	Published - Jan 2022
Externally published	Yes

Funding

We thank our volunteer translators: Abhradeep Maiti, Abis Getachew, Adam Ostrowksi, Adam Ťápal, Adaobi Anukwu, Ahsan Shoukat Iqbal, Alex Nekrasov, Anchisa Poonprasartporn, Andrea Garaiova, Angela Jiang Wang, Anna Holmström, Anna Jos, Anna Mini Jos, Anne Tixier, Annisa Rahmalia, Another Moses, Antalique Tran, Anxhela Bruci, Aparajita Acharya, Arthur M. Chan, Åsa Karlström, Asad Liaqat, Asiphe Ndingaye, Atiful Hassan, Aziz Shahhuseynov, Azra Kujundzic, Baptiste Colin, Barnabas Szaszi, Bernardim Bicos Mendes, Bilal Amir Azhar Tanveer, Binhanquerem Beer, Cemre Karaarslan, Chagai Weiss, Chai Jun Ho, Chu May Paing, Claudia Jou, Daniel Balaz, Deoclécio Marinho, Destin Ansito Keller, DongWon Oh, Edmunds Vanags, Egle Cekanaviciute, Elee Shimsoni, Emmanuel Jos, Emine Deniz, Estelle Duplooy, Fauziah Mauly, Fedhasaa Tamaam, Frederica Mendonça, Ghinadhia Putri Andiya, Gloria Kidulile, Gram Lu, Guy Grossman, Haikal Eki Ramadhan, Helena Schweiger, Hongdi Zhao, Htet Thiha Zaw, Ibon Santiago, Iris Yoeli, Irmasari Hafidz, Jaako Merilainen, Jakub Krupa, Jalees Urk, Jelka Stojanov, Jelka Stojanov, Jens Bugge, Jerica Radez, Joan Ricard-Huguet, Johansein Rutaihwa, Johnrev Guilaran, Josefine Björkqvist, Julia Florit-Pons, Kanikah Mehndiratta, Kashaf Asim, Katalin Nagy, Kateryna Poradiuk, Kaushi Kanankege, Khandker Wahedur Rahman, Lam Nguyen, Lambert Kwizera, Larisa Krupskaya, Lenka Fiala, Liisa Laine, Lisette Swart, Lola Arowolo, Luana Moraes, Luthfia Ersyana Dianasari, Maia Robakidze, Majken Christensen, Malick Gai, Margaux Wienk, Marianne Thomas, Marina Psiloutsikou, Marta Fernandez, Martin Čadek, Mattia Fracchia, Mehmet Akif Elen, Miho Hansen, Milena Djourelova, Mini Jos, Miroslav Nemčok, Mohammad N. Sibai, Myrthe J. Ottenhoff, Nadia Daniella, Nagendra Babu, Nana Khetsuriani, Nanthaka Fuseekul, Natalia Baloghova, Nazeefa Fatima, Nejla Asimovic, Nik Nurul Fatima, Niki Rathod, Nikolina Sarcevic, Niranjan Bharati R, Ogunware Adedayo, Oksana Iamshanova, Omar Cham, P Jose Jacob, Parmveer Singh, Petya Pavlova, Piibi-Kai Kivik, Pooja N. Babu, Prabesh Gyawali, Prasanna Jain, Radhanjali Shukla, Raqib Faran, Rayyan Zahid, Reny Agustine, Ricardo da Silva, Said Farooq Shah, Sajit M. Mathews, Salar Rad, Samatha Mudigonda, Sarib Baloch, Satishchandra Gore, Sejal Deva, Shabnam Nadiya, Shambhavi Priyam, Shizhuo Wang, Silje Kristiansen, Simen Grythe, Solomon Michael, Sonia Deol, Stephane Francioni, Sundar Thapaliya, Susanna Berkouwer, Tamara Kerzhner, Tatsunori Ishii, Tea Khoperia, Thaís Barcellos, Thembinkosi KM Rushwaya, Toan Huynh Luu Duc, Tram Nguyen, Trudy Shanewise, Tsegay Gebrekidan Tekleselassie, Umida Djuraeva, Vasia Papoutsaki, Vera Vaš, Vinayaka R. Prasad, Wendy Nilsen, Wuraola Oyewusi, Yuval Natif, Zikmund Bartoníček, Zulaikha Nizam. We also thank Prolific for sponsoring the participants for the survey experiment and Aristeo Marras for advice on our data.

Funders	Funder number
Tea Khoperia
Thaís Barcellos

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Hensel, L., Witte, M., Caria, A. S., Fetzer, T., Fiorin, S., Götz, F. M., Gomez, M., Haushofer, J., Ivchenko, A., Kraft-Todd, G., Reutskaja, E., Roth, C., Yoeli, E., & Jachimowicz, J. M. (2022). Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 193, 473-496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015

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title = "Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic",

abstract = "We conducted a large-scale survey covering 58 countries and over 100,000 respondents between late March and early April 2020 to study beliefs and attitudes towards citizens{\textquoteright} and governments{\textquoteright} responses at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most respondents reported holding normative beliefs in support of COVID-19 containment measures, as well as high rates of adherence to these measures. They also believed that their government and their country's citizens were not doing enough and underestimated the degree to which others in their country supported strong behavioral and policy responses to the pandemic. Normative beliefs were strongly associated with adherence, as well as beliefs about others{\textquoteright} and the government's response. Lockdowns were associated with greater optimism about others{\textquoteright} and the government's response, and improvements in measures of perceived mental well-being; these effects tended to be larger for those with stronger normative beliefs. Our findings highlight how social norms can arise quickly and effectively to support cooperation at a global scale.",

author = "Lukas Hensel and Marc Witte and Caria, {A. Stefano} and Thiemo Fetzer and Stefano Fiorin and G{\"o}tz, {Friedrich M.} and Margarita Gomez and Johannes Haushofer and Andriy Ivchenko and Gordon Kraft-Todd and Elena Reutskaja and Christopher Roth and Erez Yoeli and Jachimowicz, {Jon M.}",

year = "2022",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015",

language = "English",

volume = "193",

pages = "473--496",

journal = "Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization",

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Hensel, L, Witte, M, Caria, AS, Fetzer, T, Fiorin, S, Götz, FM, Gomez, M, Haushofer, J, Ivchenko, A, Kraft-Todd, G, Reutskaja, E, Roth, C, Yoeli, E & Jachimowicz, JM 2022, 'Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic', Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, vol. 193, pp. 473-496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.11.015

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T1 - Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

AU - Hensel, Lukas

AU - Witte, Marc

AU - Caria, A. Stefano

AU - Fetzer, Thiemo

AU - Fiorin, Stefano

AU - Götz, Friedrich M.

AU - Gomez, Margarita

AU - Haushofer, Johannes

AU - Ivchenko, Andriy

AU - Kraft-Todd, Gordon

AU - Reutskaja, Elena

AU - Roth, Christopher

AU - Yoeli, Erez

AU - Jachimowicz, Jon M.

PY - 2022/1

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N2 - We conducted a large-scale survey covering 58 countries and over 100,000 respondents between late March and early April 2020 to study beliefs and attitudes towards citizens’ and governments’ responses at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most respondents reported holding normative beliefs in support of COVID-19 containment measures, as well as high rates of adherence to these measures. They also believed that their government and their country's citizens were not doing enough and underestimated the degree to which others in their country supported strong behavioral and policy responses to the pandemic. Normative beliefs were strongly associated with adherence, as well as beliefs about others’ and the government's response. Lockdowns were associated with greater optimism about others’ and the government's response, and improvements in measures of perceived mental well-being; these effects tended to be larger for those with stronger normative beliefs. Our findings highlight how social norms can arise quickly and effectively to support cooperation at a global scale.

AB - We conducted a large-scale survey covering 58 countries and over 100,000 respondents between late March and early April 2020 to study beliefs and attitudes towards citizens’ and governments’ responses at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most respondents reported holding normative beliefs in support of COVID-19 containment measures, as well as high rates of adherence to these measures. They also believed that their government and their country's citizens were not doing enough and underestimated the degree to which others in their country supported strong behavioral and policy responses to the pandemic. Normative beliefs were strongly associated with adherence, as well as beliefs about others’ and the government's response. Lockdowns were associated with greater optimism about others’ and the government's response, and improvements in measures of perceived mental well-being; these effects tended to be larger for those with stronger normative beliefs. Our findings highlight how social norms can arise quickly and effectively to support cooperation at a global scale.

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JF - Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization

ER -

Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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