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Behavioral Phenotyping of Murine Disease Models with the Integrated Behavioral Station (INBEST)
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Behavioral responses to epidemics in an online experiment: using virtual diseases to study human behavior
Frederick Chen1, Amanda Griffith, Allin Cottrell
1Department of Economics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. chenfh@wfu.edu
Plos One
|January 18, 2013
Summary
People
Area of Science:
- Behavioral economics
- Epidemiology
- Game theory
Background:
- Understanding public response to epidemics is crucial for effective public health interventions.
- Individual behavior significantly impacts disease transmission dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how individuals modify their self-protective behaviors in response to simulated epidemics.
- To identify key factors influencing protective actions during disease outbreaks.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a multiplayer online game simulating infectious disease spread.
- Analyzed player behavior based on self-protection costs, reported disease prevalence, and personal infection history.
Main Results:
- Reduced self-protection costs increased safe behaviors.
- Higher reported disease prevalence and prior infection experiences prompted greater self-protection.
- A 'self-protection fatigue' effect was observed, with willingness to adopt measures decreasing over time when prevalence was low.
Conclusions:
- Individual responses to epidemics are dynamic and influenced by economic, social, and experiential factors.
- Public health strategies should consider the cost of protective measures and potential for behavioral fatigue.
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