Work

Risk Perception Through the Lens of Politics in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year: 2020

Type: report

Abstract: Even when, objectively speaking, death is on the line, partisan bias still colors beliefs about facts.We show that a higher share of Trump voters in a county is associated with lower perceptions of risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.As Trump voter share rises, individuals search less for information on the virus, and engage in less social distancing behavior, as measured by smartphone location patterns.These patterns persist in the face of state-level mandates to close schools and businesses or to "stay home," and reverse only when conservative politicians are exposed and the White House releases federal social distancing guidelines.

Source: National Bureau of Economic Research

DOI: 10.3386/w27008

Authors: John Barrios, Yael Hochberg

Institutions: National Bureau of Economic Research, University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rice University

Language: English

Topic: Communication and COVID-19 Impact

Subfield: Communication

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago

OpenAlex ID: W3015629547

Cites: 30

Cited by: 411

Related to: 10