Mary Wilson
Well-known member
November 21, 2022
119 (48) e2201266119
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2201266119
Frederik Jørgensen https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5461-912X, Alexander Bor https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2624-9221, Magnus Storm Rasmussen, +1, and Michael Bang Petersen
Significance
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has experienced significant social and political unrest. Here, we show that individual-level discontent with the political system was related to feelings of “pandemic fatigue.” This “fatigue” varied with level of restrictions and severity of the epidemic but also grew as the pandemic prolonged. It fueled distrust in the government, conspiracy beliefs, and support for protests. Prior to the pandemic, several Western countries already faced increasing political destabilization. Our findings raise concerns that the pandemic will further undermine the political stability of Western countries. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of integrating the social sciences into pandemic management in order to buffer fatigue and counteract further increase in political discontent.
Abstract
Health authorities have highlighted “pandemic fatigue” as a psychological consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and warned that “fatigue” could demotivate compliance with health-related policies and mandates. Yet, fatigue from following the policies of authorities may have consequences far beyond the health domain. Theories from the social sciences have raised that real and perceived costs of policies can also drive sentiments of discontent with the entire political establishment. Integrating theories from the health and social sciences, we ask how pandemic fatigue (i.e., perceived inability to “keep up” with restrictions) developed over the pandemic and whether it fueled political discontent. Utilizing longitudinal and panel surveys collected from September 2020 to July 2021 in eight Western countries (N = 49,116), we analyze: 1) fatigue over time at the country level, 2) associations between pandemic fatigue and discontent, and 3) the effect of pandemic fatigue on political discontent using panel data. Pandemic fatigue significantly increased with time and the severity of interventions but also decreased with COVID-19 deaths. When triggered, fatigue elicited a broad range of discontent, including protest support and conspiratorial thinking. The results demonstrate the significant societal impact of the pandemic beyond the domain of health and raise concerns about the stability of democratic societies, which were already strained by strife prior to the pandemic.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2201266119
119 (48) e2201266119
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2201266119
Frederik Jørgensen https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5461-912X, Alexander Bor https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2624-9221, Magnus Storm Rasmussen, +1, and Michael Bang Petersen
Significance
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has experienced significant social and political unrest. Here, we show that individual-level discontent with the political system was related to feelings of “pandemic fatigue.” This “fatigue” varied with level of restrictions and severity of the epidemic but also grew as the pandemic prolonged. It fueled distrust in the government, conspiracy beliefs, and support for protests. Prior to the pandemic, several Western countries already faced increasing political destabilization. Our findings raise concerns that the pandemic will further undermine the political stability of Western countries. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of integrating the social sciences into pandemic management in order to buffer fatigue and counteract further increase in political discontent.
Abstract
Health authorities have highlighted “pandemic fatigue” as a psychological consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and warned that “fatigue” could demotivate compliance with health-related policies and mandates. Yet, fatigue from following the policies of authorities may have consequences far beyond the health domain. Theories from the social sciences have raised that real and perceived costs of policies can also drive sentiments of discontent with the entire political establishment. Integrating theories from the health and social sciences, we ask how pandemic fatigue (i.e., perceived inability to “keep up” with restrictions) developed over the pandemic and whether it fueled political discontent. Utilizing longitudinal and panel surveys collected from September 2020 to July 2021 in eight Western countries (N = 49,116), we analyze: 1) fatigue over time at the country level, 2) associations between pandemic fatigue and discontent, and 3) the effect of pandemic fatigue on political discontent using panel data. Pandemic fatigue significantly increased with time and the severity of interventions but also decreased with COVID-19 deaths. When triggered, fatigue elicited a broad range of discontent, including protest support and conspiratorial thinking. The results demonstrate the significant societal impact of the pandemic beyond the domain of health and raise concerns about the stability of democratic societies, which were already strained by strife prior to the pandemic.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2201266119
