Entwicklung und Bedeutung sozialer Beziehungen im Kontext der Covid-19-Pandemie (LoneCovid)
Abstract
The LoneCovid project investigates the long-term
development of social relationships throughout the Covid 19 pandemic and their
influence on mental health, trust in politics and science, and adherence to
political measures. For this purpose, longitudinal data from the GESIS panel
will be combined with newly collected ego-centered network data in a
mixed-methods design.
People are embedded in social networks and can influence
each other positively and negatively. With the outbreak of the pandemic, these
networks changed abruptly. As a result of contact constraints, for example, the
number of personal contacts has decreased, and that of digital contacts has
increased. Changes in social networks can affect mental health, trust, and
compliance with political measures. While the content of the network is crucial
when considering mental health (quality of individual relationships,
composition, size), the structure of the network (interconnectedness of network
members) is also important when considering attitudes and behaviors. The theoretical
mechanism of contagion explains the influence of the network on attitudinal and
behavioral changes. The interactions between the individual and the network are
a crucial aspect often neglected due to a lack of data.
Thus, this project aims to describe the long-term social
consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic, including social networks, and to derive
policy recommendations. These recommendations should, on the one hand, help to
emerge from the pandemic with the lowest possible social costs and, on the
other hand, prepare for future crises.
01.02.2023 – 31.01.2026
- University of Trento