In the early months of the Covid pandemic there was a clear sense of community spirit as people attempted to help one another get through what was an unprecedented event.  Research from the Universities of Innsbruck and Cologne suggests that this prosocial spirit may not have lasted, however, with the effect most pronounced among those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds.

The study found that when people from these backgrounds suffered an infection in the family, their prosocial backgrounds dropped dramatically.  This meant their willingness to cooperate or trust other people fell.

Changing interactions

Prior to the pandemic, the researchers had been tracking the social interactions among friendship networks in school children across France.  The study continued into the pandemic to examine the impact it was having on how people interact.

“Prosociality was already lower among adolescents with low social status before the pandemic, and our data now show that COVID-19 infections in families widened the prosociality gap almost threefold between participants with higher social status and those with lower social status,” the researchers say.

Prosocial behavior is important as it underpins so many facets of our life, not least of which in a professional context, where numerous studies have highlighted its importance during our careers.

“Previous studies in behavioral economics provide clear evidence for the connection between prosocial behavior and success on the labor market. The importance of these soft skills ultimately stems from the fact that getting along well with one another is also what everyday working life is all about,” the researchers explain.

Uneven impact

That the pandemic has had a particular impact on those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, the study is the first to examine the impact it has had on the prosocial behaviors of society, and especially of this already disadvantaged group.

“The presumption is that this trend will harm the affected young adults in the long run, resulting in additional disadvantages to them. This is an aspect that has so far received little attention in the public discussion,” the authors continue.

Hopefully, continued analysis will be conducted to determine whether this decline in prosocial behavior continues as the pandemic eases or not.