Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national survey
Abstract Objective: We assessed differences between Australians’ perceptions of their own compliance with coronavirus restrictions and their perceptions of community compliance. Methods: We surveyed a national quota sample of 1,691 Australians in August and September 2020. Participants reported thei...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13195 |
| _version_ | 1827840711616102400 |
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| author | Zoe Leviston Samantha K. Stanley Iain Walker |
| author_facet | Zoe Leviston Samantha K. Stanley Iain Walker |
| author_sort | Zoe Leviston |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: We assessed differences between Australians’ perceptions of their own compliance with coronavirus restrictions and their perceptions of community compliance. Methods: We surveyed a national quota sample of 1,691 Australians in August and September 2020. Participants reported their level of compliance with coronavirus restrictions and estimated compliance from others in their state/territory. Results: Overwhelmingly, most people reported complying with restrictions. They believed their fellow community members were much less compliant. Age and other demographics were only weakly associated with self‐reported compliance and perceptions of others’ compliance. Conclusions: The results are consistent with prevalent cognitive biases, including the tendency to believe one is better‐than‐average, and to more easily recall instances of deviances from social norms. Implications for public health: We recommend public health messaging avoids amplifying instances of social transgressions of coronavirus restrictions. Instead, the widespread nature of social compliance with restrictions across the country should be emphasised. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:38:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df78d45f594645b2899370d1d7561f35 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:38:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-df78d45f594645b2899370d1d7561f352023-09-02T21:26:14ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052022-06-0146330430610.1111/1753-6405.13195Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national surveyZoe Leviston0Samantha K. Stanley1Iain Walker2Research School of Psychology Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital TerritoryResearch School of Psychology Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital TerritoryResearch School of Psychology Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital TerritoryAbstract Objective: We assessed differences between Australians’ perceptions of their own compliance with coronavirus restrictions and their perceptions of community compliance. Methods: We surveyed a national quota sample of 1,691 Australians in August and September 2020. Participants reported their level of compliance with coronavirus restrictions and estimated compliance from others in their state/territory. Results: Overwhelmingly, most people reported complying with restrictions. They believed their fellow community members were much less compliant. Age and other demographics were only weakly associated with self‐reported compliance and perceptions of others’ compliance. Conclusions: The results are consistent with prevalent cognitive biases, including the tendency to believe one is better‐than‐average, and to more easily recall instances of deviances from social norms. Implications for public health: We recommend public health messaging avoids amplifying instances of social transgressions of coronavirus restrictions. Instead, the widespread nature of social compliance with restrictions across the country should be emphasised.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13195coronavirusCOVID‐19uniqueness biasbetter‐than‐average effect |
| spellingShingle | Zoe Leviston Samantha K. Stanley Iain Walker Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national survey Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health coronavirus COVID‐19 uniqueness bias better‐than‐average effect |
| title | Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national survey |
| title_full | Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national survey |
| title_fullStr | Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national survey |
| title_short | Australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions: findings from a national survey |
| title_sort | australians underestimate social compliance with coronavirus restrictions findings from a national survey |
| topic | coronavirus COVID‐19 uniqueness bias better‐than‐average effect |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13195 |
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