The last few years have seen a significant rise in the polarization in political discourse, with this having a significant impact in a wide range of areas, from the information we consume to the behaviors we exhibit.  New research from the University of Toronto highlights how dangerous this can be during the coronavirus pandemic.

The issue was especially dangerous in situations whereby individuals identity as either conservatives in liberal states, or liberals in conservative states.  This would often result in people failing to comply with the advice given by the state governor.

The results emerged after people from 12 states were surveyed, with the particular states chosen due to the close nature of recent electoral resuls.  The participants were asked about their activities over the previous 48 hours, and especially their travel outside the home, including how often they went out, and what the trips were for.  They were also asked what steps they were taking to limit the spread of the virus.

“Approximately 20 to 30 percent of the sample reported leaving their home for non-essential travel in the previous 48 hours. Both Democrats and Republicans report leaving home more often in Republican states, although the difference is larger for Democrats,” the researchers say.

Stopping the spread

The results reveal that both Democrats and Republicans are less likely to engage in measures such as handwashing and staying at home if they live in states that are controlled by the opposing party.

There was no real difference apparent in the attitudes of the two groups towards the virus, whether in terms of the severity of the situation, the trust in medical organizations or the need to maintain social distancing.  Nonetheless, compliance levels significantly differed.

“We believe that the most probable explanation for this pattern is that individuals are simply less willing to cooperate when the leader of their state—and the person who is typically the public face of efforts to combat COVID-19—is from the other party,” the researchers explain.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, these responses were strongest in states where political hostility as high before the pandemic, although those individuals who were most hostile actually appeared to adhere to the guidance more than those who reported lower hostility towards the governor.

“It may therefore be perceptions of the hostility of other people, rather than an individual’s own hostility, that undermines cooperative behavior,” the authors explain.

I’ve written recently about the importance of trust in medical institutions in response to the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and this is another insight into the faith people have in the governing institutions influencing their response to a pandemic.

“A lot of what we accomplish in society depends on people’s willingness to cooperate and contribute to the public good,” the researchers conclude. “Most of us have a sense of civic duty—a sense of buy-in, that we’re connected to wider society. When we have these fractures in society, people might not want to contribute, which hurts economic growth.”