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Social Networks Shape Beliefs and Behavior: Evidence from Social Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Bailey
  • Drew M. Johnston
  • Martin Koenen
  • Theresa Kuchler
  • Dominic Russel
  • Johannes Stroebel
Abstract
We show that social network exposure to COVID-19 cases shapes individuals’ beliefs and behaviors concerning the coronavirus. We use de-identified data from Facebook to document that individuals with friends in areas with worse COVID-19 outbreaks reduce their mobility more than otherwise similar individuals with friends in less affected areas. The effects are quantitatively large and long-lasting: a one standard deviation increase in friend-exposure to COVID-19 cases in March 2020 results in a 1.2 percentage point increase in the probability of staying home on a given day through at least the end of May 2020. As the pandemic progresses—and the characteristics of individuals with the highest friend-exposure vary— changes in friend-exposure continue to drive changes in social distancing behavior, ruling out many unobserved effects as drivers of our results. We also show that individuals with higher friend-exposure to COVID-19 are more likely to publicly post in support of social distancing measures and less likely to be members of groups advocating to "reopen" the economy. These findings suggest that friends can influence individuals’ beliefs about the risks of the disease and thereby induce them to engage in mitigating public health behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Bailey & Drew M. Johnston & Martin Koenen & Theresa Kuchler & Dominic Russel & Johannes Stroebel, 2020. "Social Networks Shape Beliefs and Behavior: Evidence from Social Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic," NBER Working Papers 28234, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28234
    Note: AG AP CF EFG EH LS POL PE
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kuchler, Theresa & Piazzesi, Monika & Ströbel, Johannes, 2022. "Housing Market Expectations," CEPR Discussion Papers 17158, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Benjamin W. Arold, 2022. "Evolution vs. Creationism in the Classroom: The Lasting Effects of Science Education," ifo Working Paper Series 379, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    3. Charles J. Courtemanche & Anh H. Le & Aaron Yelowitz & Ron Zimmer, 2021. "School Reopenings, Mobility, and COVID-19 Spread: Evidence from Texas," NBER Working Papers 28753, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Erkmen G. Aslim & Wei Fu & Chia-Lun Liu & Erdal Tekin, 2022. "Vaccination Policy, Delayed Care, and Health Expenditures," NBER Working Papers 30139, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Valsecchi, Michele & Durante, Ruben, 2021. "Internal migration networks and mortality in home communities: Evidence from Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    6. Matilde Giaccherini & Joanna Kopinska & Gabriele Rovigatti, 2022. "Vax Populi: The Social Costs of Online Vaccine Skepticism," CESifo Working Paper Series 10184, CESifo.
    7. Nguyen, Giang & Nguyen, My & Pham, Anh Viet & Pham, Man Duy (Marty), 2023. "Navigating investment decisions with social connectedness: Implications for venture capital," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    8. Fernanda Marquez-Padilla & Biani Saavedra, 2022. "The unintended effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders on abortions," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(1), pages 269-305, January.
    9. Mayer, Maximilian, 2023. "Climate change concerns and information spillovers from socially-connected friends," IWH Discussion Papers 2/2023, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    10. Xu, Yilan & Box-Couillard, Sebastien, 2022. "Social learning about climate change risk," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322309, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • H0 - Public Economics - - General
    • I0 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General

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