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The Collective Trust Game: An Online Group Adaptation of the Trust Game Based on the HoneyComb Paradigm
Published on: October 20, 2022
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The COVID-19 pandemic reduces trust behavior.
Jianbiao Li1,2,3, Yanan Zhang1, Xiaofei Niu1
1School of Economics, Institute for Study of Brain-Like Economics, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Economics Letters
|December 21, 2022
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted trust behavior in China. This reduction in trust may stem from decreased belief in others
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly altered societal norms and interactions globally.
- Understanding the pandemic's impact on fundamental social behaviors like trust is crucial for post-pandemic recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on trust behavior.
- To identify potential psychological mechanisms driving changes in trust.
Main Methods:
- An online experiment was conducted in China.
- Data were collected across four sampling waves, spanning before and after the pandemic's outbreak.
- Trust behavior and belief in trustworthiness were measured.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in trust behavior was observed following the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Decreased belief in others' trustworthiness emerged as a key mediating factor.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has a detrimental effect on social trust.
- Interventions aimed at restoring trust may need to address underlying beliefs about trustworthiness.
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