Jensen, E.A.; Pfleger, A.; Lorenz, L.; Jensen, A.M.; et.al. 2021. A Repeated Measures Dataset on Public Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Social Norms, Attitudes, Behaviors, Conspiracy Thinking, and (Mis)Information. Volume 6. Frontiers in Communication.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted social and cultural issues relevant to public health and the fundamental relationship between science and society. The pandemic has necessitated decision-making for individuals that can have life-or-death consequences. An understanding of these micro-level decisions can have social and ethical implications. For example, these decisions are affected by the socio-economic circumstances each individual faces, which collectively influence the wider course of this global pandemic. Research capable of showing valid evidence for such social and ethical dimensions may connect with improvements in public health communication, responses to emergency state measures, and efforts to mobilise pro-social behaviour. The need for evidence-based science communication has been pointed out by scholars (e.g., Jensen and Gerber, 2020). In response to this call, we provide evidence which may inform public health communication practices and improve individual decision-making in the COVID-19 and post-truth era.
Here, we present a longitudinal survey research dataset collected in Germany between October 2020 and September 2021. The social research producing this dataset was conducted as part of the Viral Communication project (viralcomm.info). The project has investigated the social and ethical dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. The longitudinal research has focused on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours regarding the COVID-19 pandemic from a representative sample of individuals within the German public. The research topics specifically regard conspiracy beliefs about the pandemic, public health mitigation measures and government policies. By providing this dataset, we wish to facilitate the identification of key issues that affect recovery and resilience in response to public health crises.
