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Understanding global reactions to COVID-19 guidelines

The COVID-19 pandemic has touched every corner of the globe, deeply affecting social and economic systems and people's mental health. Early in the pandemic, before vaccines were available, governments relied on non-pharmaceutical interventions like lockdowns and mask mandates to control the virus's spread. To grasp how people responded to these guidelines, an international team of over 250 researchers launched a massive survey, inviting participants from 69 countries to share their beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes towards COVID-19 public health measures.

Research purpose: Exploring social and moral psychology during a crisis

The project, led by Professor Jay van Bavel at NYU, aimed to uncover how national identity and various social and moral factors influenced people's support for public health measures during the early COVID-19 pandemic. By gathering extensive data on a wide range of psychological and demographic variables, the study sought to provide a rich resource for future research on how different societies react to public health crises.

“One of the main challenges with such a large-scale survey across numerous countries and ensuring the accuracy and consistency of the data collected,” noted Erik Wetter, Assistant Professor at the House of Innovation who was part of the Swedish research team in the project. 

Key research findings

• People’s support for COVID-19 public health measures was significantly influenced by their national identity.
• There were notable differences in COVID-19 risk perception and compliance behaviors across different countries.
• The data revealed various social and moral constructs, such as generosity and moral identity, that played a role in shaping public health attitudes.

Implications for future research in global health crises

This research provides a crucial foundation for understanding how different cultural and social factors influence public health behavior during global crises. Future studies can build on this data to explore more specific hypotheses and develop tailored public health strategies. The findings underscore the importance of considering national identity and social psychology in designing effective public health interventions.

“The study highlights that ‘one-size-does-NOT-fit-all’ and there is a distinct need to develop contextually relevant public health strategies that incorporate the diverse social and moral landscape of each specific country” Erik Wetter explained.

Meet the researchers

• Erik Wetter: House of Innovation, Stockholm School of Economics
• See paper for a full list of additional authors