Partisan differences in physical distancing are linked to health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gollwitzer, Anton; Martel, Cameron; Brady, William J.; Pärnamets, Philip; Freedman, Isaac G.; Knowles, Eric D.; Bavel, Jay Joseph Van

doi:10.31234/osf.io/t3yxa

Cited by 53 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(51 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As a final background predictor, we also include individual differences in political ideology. In context of the COVID-19 pandemic, prior research found that compliance with health advice may be influenced by political ideology, especially in regions where the pandemic has been the target of political polarization (Gollwitzer et al, 2020).…”

Section: Covid-19 Vaccine?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccines: Cross-National Evidence on Levels and Individual-Level Predictors Using Observational Data

Mf¹,

Jørgensen²,

A³

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The management of the COVID-19 pandemic critically hinges on the approval of safe and effective vaccines but, equally importantly, on high willingness among lay people to use vaccines when approved. To facilitate vaccination willingness via effective health communication, it is key to understand both levels of skepticism towards an approved COVID-19 vaccine and the demographic, psychological and political sources of this skepticism. To this end, we examine the levels and predictors of willingness to use an approved COVID-19 vaccine in large, representative surveys from eight Western democracies that differ both politically and in terms of the severity of the pandemic: Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Italy, United Kingdom, and United States (total N = 9,889). The data reveal large variation in vaccination willingness, both across and within countries ranging from 79 % in Denmark to 38 % in Hungary. Thus, most national levels fall below current best estimates for the required threshold for reaching herd immunity. Across national and demographic groups, the analyses demonstrate that a lack of vaccination willingness is associated with low levels of trust in authorities, conspiracy-related beliefs and a lack of concern about COVID-19. These factors also account for cross-national levels in vaccine willingness.

show abstract

Section: Covid-19 Vaccine?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccines: Cross-National Evidence on Levels and Individual-Level Predictors Using Observational Data

Mf¹,

Jørgensen²,

A³

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…There is anecdotal evidence that compliance with health advice regarding COVID-19 quickly became a moral issue when the pandemic hit the world in the spring of 2020. This is most clear in the polarization surrounding disease avoidance that emerged in the US across partisan lines (Gollwitzer et al 2020) but also in the significant condemnation of instances of violation of physical distancing or mask wearing that circulated on social media.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moralizing the COVID-19 Pandemic: Self-Interest Predicts Moral Condemnation of Other's Compliance, Distancing and Vaccination

A¹,

Mf²,

Jørgensen³

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Physical distancing is a crucial aspect of most countries’ strategies to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. However, keeping distance to others in public requires significant changes in conduct and behavior relative to ordinary circumstances. Throughout history, an effective strategy to make people engage in such behavioral change has been to morally condemn those who do not behave in an appropriate way. Accordingly, here, we investigate whether physical distancing has emerged as a moralized issue during the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially explaining the massive changes in behavior that have occurred across societies to halter the spread of the pandemic. Specifically, we utilize time-sensitive, representative survey evidence from eight Western democracies to examine the extent to which people (1) find it justified to condemn those who do not keep a distance to others in public and (2) blame ordinary citizens for the severity of the pandemic. The results demonstrate that physical distancing has indeed become a moral issue in most countries in the early phases of the pandemic. Furthermore, we identify the most important predictors of moralization to be age, behavioral change, social trust, and trust in the government. Except for minor differences, this pattern is observed within all countries in the sample. While moralization was high during the first wave of the pandemic, temporal analyses also indicate that moralization is lower in the second wave of the pandemic, potentially making it more difficult to engage in sufficient behavioral changes.

show abstract

“…There were still however a proportion of women who belonged to this 'risk taking group', suggesting further drivers of class membership. In the US compliance with COVID-19 preventative measures has been highly politized, with those who support the Republican party less likely to adhere to such measures as compared to those who support the democratic party (10)(11)(12). This influence of bipartisanism may have additionally influenced preferences and membership in this risk-taking class.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Preferences for Social Distancing Behaviors to Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19: A Discrete Choice Experiment

Wilson

Mody

McKay

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Policies to promote social distancing can minimize COVID-19 transmission, but come with substantial social and economic costs. Quantifying relative preferences of the public for such practices can inform policy prioritization and optimize uptake. We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to quantify relative “utilities” (preferences) for five COVID-19 pandemic social distances strategies (e.g., closure of restaurants, restriction of large gatherings) against the hypothetical risk of acquiring COVID-19 and anticipated income loss. The survey was distributed in Missouri in May-June, 2020. We applied inverse probability sampling weights to mixed logit and latent class models to generate mean preferences and identify preference classes. Overall (n=2,428), the strongest preference was for the prohibition of large gatherings, followed by preferences to keep outdoor venues, schools, and social and lifestyle venues open, 75% of the population showing probable support for a strategy that prohibited large gatherings and closed lifestyle and social venues. Latent class analysis, however revealed four preference sub-groups in the population - “risk eliminators”, “risk balancers”, “altruistic” and “risk takers”, with men twice as likely as women to belong to the risk-taking group. In this setting, public health policies which as a first phase prohibit large gatherings, as well as close social and lifestyle venues may be acceptable and adhered to by the public. In addition, policy messages that address preference heterogeneity, for example by targeting public health messages at men, could improve adherence to social distancing measures and prevent further COVID-19 transmission prior to vaccine distribution and in the event of future pandemics.Significance StatementPreferences drive behavior – DCE’s are a novel tool in public health that allow examination of preferences for a product, service or policy, identifying how the public prioritizes personal risks and cost in relation to health behaviors. Using this method to establish preferences for COVID-19 mitigation strategies, our results suggest that, firstly, a tiered approach to non-essential business closures where large gatherings are prohibited and social and lifestyle venues are closed as a first phase, would be well aligned with population preferences and may be supported by the public, while school and outdoor venue closures may require more consideration prior to a second phase of restrictions. And secondly, that important distinct preference phenotypes - that are not captured by sociodemographic (e.g., age, sex, race) characteristics - exist, and therefore that messaging should be target at such subgroups to enhance adherence to prevention efforts.

show abstract

Partisan differences in physical distancing are linked to health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cited by 53 publications

References 41 publications

Public Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccines: Cross-National Evidence on Levels and Individual-Level Predictors Using Observational Data

Public Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccines: Cross-National Evidence on Levels and Individual-Level Predictors Using Observational Data

Moralizing the COVID-19 Pandemic: Self-Interest Predicts Moral Condemnation of Other's Compliance, Distancing and Vaccination

Public Preferences for Social Distancing Behaviors to Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19: A Discrete Choice Experiment

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About