Promoting health-protective behaviors and well-being in pandemics: The role of social relationships

Human behavior in general, and the adoption of preventive measures in a situation such as the Covid-19 pandemic, does not occur in a vacuum but is strongly influenced by social contexts, ranging from close social partners (family, friends) to social rules and policies. In light of the importance of social contexts for health-protective behaviors, the focus on the individual (e.g., personal attitudes, self-regulation) on the one hand or, on the other side of the extreme, on the role of the larger social context (e.g., lockdown, vaccination policies) in the research on Covid-19 has left an alarming gap in our knowledge about the impact of social partners and the more immediate social group in supporting or hindering behaviors that can prevent the spread of infections. Similarly, the emergence and effects of social conflicts caused by Covid-19 containment measures have not yet been sufficiently addressed. This is the aim of the proposed project. In particular, we propose to use a multi-methods approach comprising correlational, intervention, and experimental designs to test the impact of social processes in adult family and friendship dyads, social groups, and policy measures on health-protective behaviors, and on social and individual well-being in the current pandemic and future crises. All proposed studies will use a citizen science approach to ensure high acceptance and dissemination in the general public. Overall, the proposed project will contribute to a better understanding of which social factors foster (or hinder) preventive behaviors and social as well as individual well-being in pandemic and comparable crises. The project will thus provide intervention and experimental evidence on how the beneficial effects of social relationships on these key outcomes can be applied to the general population.