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Prosociality Predicts Individual Behavior and Collective Outcomes in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Ximeng Fang
  • Timo Freyer
  • Chui Yee Ho
  • Zihua Chen
  • Lorenz Goette

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic induces a typical social dilemma situation, as engaging in preventive behaviors such as social distancing is costly for individuals, but generates benefits that accrue to society at large. The extent to which individuals internalize the social impact of their actions may depend on their (pro-)social preferences. We leverage a nationally representative survey in Germany (n = 5,843), conducted during the second coronavirus wave, to investigate the role of prosociality in reducing the spread of COVID-19. At the individual level, higher prosociality is strongly positively related to compliance with recommended public health behaviors. At the regional (NUTS-2) level, higher average prosociality is associated with significantly lower incidence and growth rates of COVID-19 infections. This association is robust to controlling for a host of regional socio-economic factors, and mediated by stronger average compliance with public health measures. Our correlational results thus confirm the notion that voluntary behavioral change due to prosocial motivations can play an important role in the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Ximeng Fang & Timo Freyer & Chui Yee Ho & Zihua Chen & Lorenz Goette, 2021. "Prosociality Predicts Individual Behavior and Collective Outcomes in the COVID-19 Pandemic," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2021_319, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2021_319
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    File URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp319
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Umer, Hamza, 2022. "Does pro-sociality or trust better predict staying home behavior during the Covid-19?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    2. Ekaterina Borisova & Timothy Frye & Koen Schoors & Vladimir Zabolotskiy, 2022. "Fear, Trust and Demand for Regulation: Evidence from the Covid-19 Pandemic in Russia," CESifo Working Paper Series 10156, CESifo.
    3. Islam, Marco, 2021. "Motivated Risk Assessments," Working Papers 2021:12, Lund University, Department of Economics, revised 26 Jul 2022.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; collective action; prosociality; economic preferences; online survey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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