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Behavioral gender differences are reinforced during the COVID-19 crisis
Tobias Reisch1,2, Georg Heiler2,3, Jan Hurt2
1Section for Science of Complex Systems, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Scientific Reports
|September 29, 2021
Summary
During the COVID-19 crisis, Austrian men and women exhibited distinct behavioral patterns in communication and mobility. These gender differences widened post-lockdown, with women restricting movement more and men frequenting recreational areas.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Behavioral Economics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Behavioral gender differences are observed across various human activities.
- The COVID-19 crisis and subsequent lockdowns significantly impacted daily life and social behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify gender-specific patterns in communication, mobility, and circadian rhythms during the COVID-19 crisis.
- To assess the resilience of these behavioral patterns amidst a strict nationwide lockdown.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mobile phone data from 1.2 million Austrian devices (15% of the population).
- Analyzed communication intensity, mobility, and circadian rhythms across different phases of the pandemic.
- Conducted age stratification to identify demographic influences on behavioral differences.
Main Results:
- Gender differences in mobility and communication intensified after the lockdown, while circadian rhythms synchronized.
- Women made fewer but longer calls; both genders reduced mobility, with women restricting movement more.
- Men returned to pre-lockdown behaviors faster than women, with younger populations showing quicker recovery.
Conclusions:
- Behavioral patterns demonstrated resilience but also significant gender-specific responses to the COVID-19 crisis.
- Findings suggest underlying social, biological, and psychological gender differences in crisis coping and risk-taking.
- Age and retirement play a role in observed behavioral differences between genders.
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