Stay home and make good decisions

The Coronavirus epidemic (Covid-19) has generated a worldwide alarm that resulted in governments resorting to use of restrictive measures based on principles of isolation and quarantine. This approach, while common and effective in controlling outbreaks of highly contagious infectious diseases, evokes feelings of being forced to comply with a system of archaic and authoritative institutions that regulate your life. However, is it a right way to move forward?

…getting people to stay in isolation is not the only challenge. It is also necessary to attend the negative effects of isolation…and avoid collective depressions

Discussion on the use of restrictive isolation measures for the control of highly contagious diseases is now necessary for any liberal democratic society. Modern citizens believe that they have the right not to comply with these restrictions; thus, it is necessary to investigate the behavior, attitudes and perceptions of the population in the face of these restrictions. Only this way, governments will be able to design effective public policies and interventions that improve citizen coordination and reduce over-provisioning, scarcity and the panic that has made visible the low installed capacity of health services, even in European countries.

A recent study carried out between March 18 and 20, 2020 in Italy found that the interventions adopted by the government are perceived as timely and appropriate by the population; among them social distancing, not participating in social gathering and the closure of non-essential trade. Some of the findings in this study indicate that the population:

• Follow government-mandated health measures.
• Strongly believe in the message sent by the government and stick to it.
• Leave home only for reasons considered “essential”.
• Experience high levels of anxiety, especially vulnerable groups.

But getting people to stay in isolation is not the only challenge. It is also necessary to attend to the negative effects that this isolation brings to mental health; that is, the government, in addition to making its citizens staying at home, must indicate how to have a good time inside while staying there and avoid collective depressions. And we are not only talking about the anxiety of breaking a routine, enjoying outdoor activities and other entertainments; it is the anxiety of a large part of the population that depends on daily income². Keep in mind that teleworking is a privilege that few of us can access.

Finally, it is necessary to indicate that public policy should implement complementary interventions to influence behavior change. If the restrictions are not met, social psychology could offer instruments to analyze people’s behavior and achieve effective interventions. Thus, increasing voluntary compliance with isolation restrictions during crises such as the current one.

Expilab Research S.L. is a specialised technological partner with a record in designing, programming and conducting complex behavioral experiments in social sciences, consumer research, and public policy-making. Expilab’s research platform allows creation or replication any online environments from search engines, web-stores, showrooms, healthcare portals, social networks to fully-functional and realistic online gambling websites.