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Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response

Author

Listed:
  • Jay J. Van Bavel

    (New York University)

  • Katherine Baicker

    (University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy)

  • Paulo S. Boggio

    (Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University)

  • Valerio Capraro

    (Middlesex University London)

  • Aleksandra Cichocka

    (University of Kent
    Nicolaus Copernicus University)

  • Mina Cikara

    (Harvard University)

  • Molly J. Crockett

    (Yale University)

  • Alia J. Crum

    (Stanford University)

  • Karen M. Douglas

    (University of Kent)

  • James N. Druckman

    (Northwestern University)

  • John Drury

    (University of Sussex)

  • Oeindrila Dube

    (University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy)

  • Naomi Ellemers

    (Utrecht University)

  • Eli J. Finkel

    (Northwestern University)

  • James H. Fowler

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Michele Gelfand

    (University of Maryland)

  • Shihui Han

    (PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University)

  • S. Alexander Haslam

    (University of Queensland)

  • Jolanda Jetten

    (University of Queensland)

  • Shinobu Kitayama

    (University of Michigan)

  • Dean Mobbs

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • Lucy E. Napper

    (Lehigh University)

  • Dominic J. Packer

    (Lehigh University)

  • Gordon Pennycook

    (University of Regina)

  • Ellen Peters

    (University of Oregon)

  • Richard E. Petty

    (The Ohio State University)

  • David G. Rand

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Stephen D. Reicher

    (University of St. Andrews)

  • Simone Schnall

    (Department of Psychology University of Cambridge
    Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge)

  • Azim Shariff

    (University of British Columbia, Vancouver)

  • Linda J. Skitka

    (University of Illinois at Chicago)

  • Sandra Susan Smith

    (University of California, Berkeley)

  • Cass R. Sunstein

    (Harvard University)

  • Nassim Tabri

    (Carleton University)

  • Joshua A. Tucker

    (New York University)

  • Sander van der Linden

    (Department of Psychology University of Cambridge)

  • Paul van Lange

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Kim A. Weeden

    (Cornell University)

  • Michael J. A. Wohl

    (Carleton University)

  • Jamil Zaki

    (Stanford University)

  • Sean R. Zion

    (Stanford University)

  • Robb Willer

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a massive global health crisis. Because the crisis requires large-scale behaviour change and places significant psychological burdens on individuals, insights from the social and behavioural sciences can be used to help align human behaviour with the recommendations of epidemiologists and public health experts. Here we discuss evidence from a selection of research topics relevant to pandemics, including work on navigating threats, social and cultural influences on behaviour, science communication, moral decision-making, leadership, and stress and coping. In each section, we note the nature and quality of prior research, including uncertainty and unsettled issues. We identify several insights for effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight important gaps researchers should move quickly to fill in the coming weeks and months.

Suggested Citation

  • Jay J. Van Bavel & Katherine Baicker & Paulo S. Boggio & Valerio Capraro & Aleksandra Cichocka & Mina Cikara & Molly J. Crockett & Alia J. Crum & Karen M. Douglas & James N. Druckman & John Drury & Oe, 2020. "Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(5), pages 460-471, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:4:y:2020:i:5:d:10.1038_s41562-020-0884-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0884-z
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