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Correcting COVID-19 Risk Misperceptions via Information Provision

Author

Listed:
  • Asako Chiba
  • Kazuya Haganuma
  • Taisuke Nakata
  • Thuy Linh Nguyen
  • Reo Takaku

Abstract

We conducted an information provision experiment in April 2023 in Japan to investigate how different types of information affect people's subjective assessment of COVID-19 risks. The majority of respondents overestimate infection and fatality risks. Recent infection-related statistics lower risk perceptions if presented as percentages, but do not affect them if presented as levels. A pessimistic narrative about the infection outlook raises risk perceptions. We also find substantial heterogeneity in the response to information provision across various individual characteristics, such as age, gender, education, marital status, health status, COVID-19-related experiences, and vaccination status.

Suggested Citation

  • Asako Chiba & Kazuya Haganuma & Taisuke Nakata & Thuy Linh Nguyen & Reo Takaku, 2026. "Correcting COVID-19 Risk Misperceptions via Information Provision," Working Papers e222, Tokyo Center for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:tcr:wpaper:e222
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sarah Dryhurst & Claudia R. Schneider & John Kerr & Alexandra L. J. Freeman & Gabriel Recchia & Anne Marthe van der Bles & David Spiegelhalter & Sander van der Linden, 2020. "Risk perceptions of COVID-19 around the world," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(7-8), pages 994-1006, August.
    2. Asako Chiba & Taisuke Nakata & Thuy Linh Nguyen & Reo Takaku, 2024. "COVID-19 Risk Perceptions in Japan: A Cross Sectional Study," CARF F-Series CARF-F-583, Center for Advanced Research in Finance, Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo.
    3. M. Kate Bundorf & Jill DeMatteis & Grant Miller & Maria Polyakova & Jialu L. Streeter & Jonathan Wivagg, 2025. "Risk Perceptions and Private Protective Behaviors: Evidence from COVID-19 Pandemic," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 107(3), pages 728-740, May.
    4. Abel, Martin & Byker, Tanya & Carpenter, Jeffrey, 2021. "Socially optimal mistakes? debiasing COVID-19 mortality risk perceptions and prosocial behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 456-480.
    5. Toan Luu Duc Huynh, 2020. "The COVID-19 risk perception: A survey on socioeconomics and media attention," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(1), pages 758-764.
    6. Sabrina Cipolletta & Gabriela Rios Andreghetti & Giovanna Mioni, 2022. "Risk Perception towards COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-25, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Asako Chiba & Kazuya Haganuma & Taisuke Nakata & Thuy Linh Nguyen & Reo Takaku, 2026. "COVID-19 Risk Perceptions After the End of the Public Health Emergency," CARF F-Series CARF-F-621, Center for Advanced Research in Finance, Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo.
    2. Asako Chiba & Kazuya Haganuma & Taisuke Nakata & Thuy Linh Nguyen & Reo Takaku, 2026. "COVID-19 Risk Perceptions After the End of the Public Health Emergency," Working Papers e224, Tokyo Center for Economic Research.

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