Heterogeneous Actions, Beliefs, Constraints and Risk Tolerance During the COVID-19 Pandemic / Ying Fan, A. Yeşim Orhun, Dana Turjeman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fan, Ying (Associate Professor)

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Orhun, A. Yeşim.

Turjeman, Dana.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w27211.

NBER working paper series no. w27211

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2020.

Summary:

During a pandemic, an individual's choices can determine outcomes not only for the individual but also for the entire community. Beliefs, constraints and preferences may shape behavior. This paper documents demographic differences in behaviors, beliefs, constraints and risk preferences across gender, income and political affiliation lines during the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Our main analyses are based on data from an original nationally representative survey covering 5,500 adult respondents in the U.S. We find substantial gaps in behaviors and beliefs across gender, income and partisanship lines; in constraints across income levels; and in risk tolerance among men and women. Based on location data from a large sample of smartphones, we also document significant differences in mobility across demographics, which are consistent with our findings based on the survey data.

Notes:

Print version record

May 2020.