The Political Process´Impact on Attitudes Towards Covid-19 Containment Measures: Experimental Evidence from 11 European Countries

Zeit: 
25.04.2022 - 12:00 bis 13:30
Ort: 
A 5,6 Raum A 231 und online via Zoom
Art der Veranstaltung: 
AB B-Kolloquium
Vortragende/r: 
Dr. Constanza Sanhueza Petrarca
Zugehörigkeit des Vortragenden: 
Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin
Beschreibung: 

Containment measures including the mandatory use of facial masks, physical distancing, and lockdowns have been introduced by governments to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus around the globe. Interestingly, political processes varied substantially between countries, for example, in terms of which actors were involved or whether containment measures were part of a larger policy program addressing issues beyond public health. How does the actual process linked to the implementation of such measures affect public opinion concerning them? Answers to this question are crucial for policymakers who need to understand how to contain the pandemic by fostering compliance while simultaneously reducing the risk of losing citizens’ support in the long-run. We examine the effects of the political process using an experiment included in a high-quality survey of 11,000 respondents in 11 European countries. We show that the problem load introduced as levels of Covid-19 incidence, decision-making procedures, and whether there are accompanying economic relief measures affect public support and compliance.