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Civic Capital and Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • John M. Barrios

    (University of Chicago - Booth School of Business)

  • Efraim Benmelech

    (Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management)

  • Yael V. Hochberg

    (Rice University - Jones Graduate School of Business)

  • Paola Sapienza

    (Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management)

  • Luigi Zingales

    (University of Chicago - Booth School of Business)

Abstract

The success of non-pharmaceutical interventions to contain pandemics often depends greatly upon voluntary compliance with government guidelines. What explains variation in voluntary compliance? Using mobile phone and survey data, we show that during the early phases of COVID-19, voluntary social distancing was higher when individuals exhibit a higher sense of civic duty. This is true for U.S. individuals, U.S. counties, and European regions. We also show that after U.S. states began re-opening, social distancing remained more prevalent in high civic capital counties. Our evidence points to the importance of civic capital in designing public policy responses to pandemics.

Suggested Citation

  • John M. Barrios & Efraim Benmelech & Yael V. Hochberg & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2020. "Civic Capital and Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Working Papers 2020-74, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bfi:wpaper:2020-74
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alberto Alesina & Paola Giuliano, 2015. "Culture and Institutions," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 53(4), pages 898-944, December.
    2. Allcott, Hunt & Boxell, Levi & Conway, Jacob & Gentzkow, Matthew & Thaler, Michael & Yang, David, 2020. "Polarization and public health: Partisan differences in social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    3. John Manuel Barrios & Yael V. Hochberg, 2020. "Risk Perception Through the Lens of Politics in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Working Papers 2020-32, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    4. Bargain, Olivier & Aminjonov, Ulugbek, 2020. "Trust and compliance to public health policies in times of COVID-19," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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