Coping with the COVID‐19 pandemic through institutional trust: Rally effects, compensatory control, and emotions

Abstract

Objective: Exogenous shocks trigger rally effects, leading the public opinion toward increased trust in institutions. Rally effects have an important social function because they help society react to shocks rapidly and efficiently as a single unit and cohesively face the threat. However, little is known about the individual functions that these effects fulfil. In this study, we aimed to analyze the individual functions of the rally effect. Method: In a three-wave longitudinal study on a quota sample of the Italian adult population (N = 1070), we analyzed the individual consequences of the increase in institutional trust triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A path analysis showed that increased trust in political, super partes and international institutions fostered well-being, reducing anxiety, collective angst, and anger via the mediation of participants' perceived control over their lives. Conclusion: Beyond their well-known social functions, rally effects fulfil the individual function of favoring people's psychological well-being.

Student Trust in Higher Education Institutions: How the Pandemic Influenced Undergraduate Trust

“…The COVID-19 crisis meets Mueller’s (1970) three criteria for a “rally around the flag.” However, it does not fall into the five categories of rallies, possibly because a major pandemic has not occurred since the widespread use of public polls. Prior research on the rally around the flag effect, trust, and COVID-19 is limited to the European context (Baekgaard et al, 2020; Roccato et al, 2021; Schraff, 2020). In Europe, an initial rally around the flag effect was observed at the time of the initial crisis, but the effect waned as the virus spread.…”

Desires of technocracy in pandemic times: A multilevel study

“…After its onset, the population felt dramatically vulnerable to the COVID‐19 pandemic both in health and economic terms (Roccato et al. 2021a). When feeling vulnerable, people perceive a loss of control over their lives, which lowers their psychological well‐being and serves as a motivational drive to restore perceived control (Landau, Kay, and Whitson 2015).…”

“…This complexity and unpredictability of ripple effects caused by institutional decisions reduced people's perceived control over their lives and fostered their sense of vulnerability (Roccato et al. 2021a). At the same time, science and scientists were at the center of public debate and flooded the media with messages (about the spread of the virus, the most effective preventive measures, the development of a vaccine against COVID‐19, the importance of a large‐scale vaccination campaign, etc.)…”

Managing the risk of COVID‐19 via vaccine passports: Modeling economic and policy implications

“…As data are stored on the public's vaccination status, digitization of VPs might also increase privacy concerns ( https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/04/technology/vaccine-passport-ny-privacy.html ; Roccato et al, 2021 ; Tsoi et al, 2021 ; Wilford et al, 2021 ), with data leaks making it easier to identify the unvaccinated, who might fear spillover discriminations in the job market. 9 This might prevent some from not seeking vaccinations or not applying for passports, which would adversely impact the demand for related goods.…”