Abstract
Individuals engage in a variety of behavioral responses to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, from complying with or transgressing against physical distancing regulations, to stockpiling or prosocial behavior. We predicted that particularly descriptive social norms are important in driving pandemic-related behavior as they offer guidelines in times of insecurity and crisis. To investigate this assumption, we conducted a longitudinal survey with two measurement points ( n = 1,907) in Germany during the spring of 2020. Results show that descriptive norms (perceived behavior of close others) positively predicted future transgression against distancing regulations, stockpiling, and prosocial behavior over time. In our analysis, we account for previous behavior as well as other potential predictors (subjective threat, personality). In sum, our findings highlight the power of descriptive norms in increasing compliance with pandemic-related regulations and promoting future prosocial behavior.
Highlights
Individuals engage in a variety of behavioral responses to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, from complying with or transgressing against physical distancing regulations, to stockpiling or prosocial behavior
Using longitudinal data collected at the beginning of the lockdown in March 2020 in Germany, we demonstrate that descriptive social norms predict individuals’ future behavior, and that the strength of the associations between descriptive norms and behavior is much more pronounced than other factors deemed as relevant
Participants reported rather low levels of stockpiling and transgression against physical distancing regulations, while about half of the participants had engaged in some form of prosocial behavior (T1 = 48.7%, T2 = 51.7%)
Summary
Individuals engage in a variety of behavioral responses to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, from complying with or transgressing against physical distancing regulations, to stockpiling or prosocial behavior. We predicted that descriptive social norms are important in driving pandemicrelated behavior as they offer guidelines in times of insecurity and crisis. To investigate this assumption, we conducted a longitudinal survey with two measurement points (n = 1,907) in Germany during the spring of 2020. We argue for, and empirically substantiate, the importance of descriptive social norms as a powerful predictor of the three mentioned pandemicrelated behaviors: compliance with imposed regulations, stockpiling, and engagement in prosocial behavior. As injunctive and descriptive norms are likely both powerful influences on individuals’ behavior during a pandemic, we discuss both from a theoretical perspective here, albeit the present study focusses on the assessment of descriptive norms only
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
