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A time for moral actions: Moral identity, morality-as-cooperation and moral circles predict support of collective action to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in an international sample

Boggio, Paulo S., Nezlek, John B., Alfano, Mark, Azevedo, Flavio, Capraro, Valerio, Cichocka, Aleksandra, Pärnamets, Philip, Rego, Gabriel Gaudencio, Sampaio, Waldir M., Sjåstad, Hallgeir, and others. (2023) A time for moral actions: Moral identity, morality-as-cooperation and moral circles predict support of collective action to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in an international sample. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 27 (1). pp. 178-195. ISSN 1368-4302. E-ISSN 1461-7188. (doi:10.1177/13684302231153800) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:101741)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided. (Contact us about this Publication)
Official URL:
https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302231153800

Abstract

Understanding what factors are linked to public health behavior in a global pandemic is critical to mobilizing an effective public health response. Although public policy and health messages are often framed through the lens of individual benefit, many of the behavioral strategies needed to combat a pandemic require individual sacrifices to benefit the collective welfare. Therefore, we examined the relationship between individuals’ morality and their support for public health measures. In a large-scale study with samples from 68 countries worldwide (Study 1; N = 46,576), we found robust evidence that moral identity, morality-as-cooperation, and moral circles are each positively related to people’s willingness to engage in public health behaviors and policy support. Together, these moral dispositions accounted for 9.8%, 10.2%, and 6.2% of support for limiting contact, improving hygiene, and supporting policy change, respectively. These morality variables (Study 2) and Schwartz’s values dimensions (Study 3) were also associated with behavioral responses across 42 countries in the form of reduced physical mobility during the pandemic. These results suggest that morality may help mobilize citizens to support public health policy.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/13684302231153800
Uncontrolled keywords: Sociology and Political Science, Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous), Communication, Cultural Studies, Social Psychology
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Funders: John Templeton Foundation (https://ror.org/035tnyy05)
National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (https://ror.org/03swz6y49)
Coordenação de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (https://ror.org/00x0ma614)
National Science Center (https://ror.org/03ha2q922)
The Research Council of Norway (https://ror.org/00epmv149)
SWORD Depositor: JISC Publications Router
Depositing User: JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited: 31 Jul 2023 10:42 UTC
Last Modified: 26 Jan 2024 16:13 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/101741 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Cichocka, Aleksandra.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1703-1586
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