## Citizens´ prosocial behavior in times of crisis ## This project is funded by the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (Wiener Wissenschafts-, Forschungs- und Technologiefonds - WWTF), through project COV20-039. Full overview of studies in the project can be found here: https://www.wu.ac.at/en/pubmgt/researchandpublications/prosocial-and-societal-behavior/covid19 During the COVID-19 pandemic (April/May 2020), we surveyed people living in Austria about their satisfaction, prosocial and societal behavior, and concerns and challenges because of the crisis. ### Study 1: Austria in the COVID-19 pandemic: Satisfaction on government measures and communication ### **Background:** We assess satisfaction about various aspects of the 2020 COVID-19 crisis for a representative sample of 1798 respondents living in Austria. Survey questions focused on respondents' satisfaction about how the federal government, media, other citizens, their neighbors, employers, colleagues, and respondents themselves deal with the COVID-19 crisis. The goal of this study is to give a descriptive overview of these aspects of satisfaction, and quantitatively explore whether substantial differences exist for particular subgroups. **Data & methods:** Respondents were sampled based on representativeness criteria for region (Bundesland), age, and gender. Additional background variables were asked regarding education, occupation, and sector of employment for those respondents being employed (n = 876). Eight satisfaction items were relevant for the total sample of respondents; Another six items were only relevant and presented to those respondents that indicated to be employed. These additional items focus on how satisfied respondents were with how their employer and colleagues deal with the COVID-19 crisis, and how they comply themselves with the COVID-19 measures of their employer. All satisfaction items started with "How satisfied are you with, ..." and respondents could answer on a 7-point Likert scale, with numbered answer options ranging from very unsatisfied (-3) to very satisfied (+3), with 0 as the middle option. The full list of satisfaction items is given at the end of this study. The survey was administered in German. Items were presented in random order for each respondent, and an additional item was included as an attention question. Respondents failing to answer this attention question correctly were removed for further analysis and reporting, based on the assumption that they were fast-clicking through the survey and did not contemplate their answers. We used a Qualtrics survey, and respondents were addressed by use of a professional panel provider (Qualtrics Panels). Data were collected from 17 April until 29 April (2020). Despite the aimed representativeness with respect to region (Bundesland), age, and gender for this sample, it has to be noted that at this point no further measures have been taken to weight the dataset for other variables. Descriptive statistics are reported at the end of this document. The raw data and full survey questions are available at https://osf.io/g8hn9/ **Results:** For the graphs in this study, satisfaction items are ranked based on the sample mean, from most satisfied (at the top of the graph) to least satisfied (at the bottom of the graph). Mean values are indicated with a dot, along with the 95%-confidence interval around the mean. For the overall reporting of mean values for the total sample and the subsample of employed respondents, item mean scores are also given above the confidence intervals. For other figures in this study, graphs report differences for subgroups based on the demographic variables. **Main findings and conclusion:** Overall, people living in Austria are satisfied with the various crisis management elements of the COVID-19 pandemic, as answers are mainly at the positive side of the response scale that ranges from -3 (Very unsatisfied) to +3 (Very satisfied). Citizens are most satisfied with how well they themselves comply with the measures of the federal government (and/or their employer) to overcome the Corona crisis, and about how they are able to comply with these measures. In contrast, they are least satisfied with how other citizens and neighbors comply with the measures, and on how national media report on the measures. Splitting-up satisfaction evaluations for gender, age, region, level of education, occupation, or sector of employment does show some small but no substantial differences for particular subgroups. ### Study 2: A citizens' perspective on the COVID-19 Shutdown - Personal and social disadvantages ### The survey (482 persons living in Austria) focused on the personal and social disadvantages during the COVID-19 shutdown in the form of two open questions. The data have been analyzed in terms of content and frequency for the whole group and stratified by age and gender. This analysis aimed to identify the direct social, economic, ecological, and political consequences of the crisis and the government measures taken to overcome it. The results show a certain divergence between the perceived individual disadvantages and the social disadvantages: While the three most important personal disadvantages mentioned are social distancing, everyday life in the new situation, and restricted freedom of movement, the economic turndown, social distancing and the areas of politics, media, and society are primarily mentioned at the social level. Full report and data (in German): https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/m7r4h ### Study 3: Never waste a good crisis – Work-related COVID-19 changes ### Which work-related COVID-19 changes are here to stay? These graphs document the overall public opinion (in Austria - June 2020) on whether some changes could or should stay. We were able integrate a 9-item scale in the eleventh wave (12 June 2020 – 17 June 2020) of the large-scale data collection process of the [Austrian Corona Panel Project](https://viecer.univie.ac.at/coronapanel/ “Austrian Corona Panel Project”). The items for the construct that we report here focused on whether respondents were in favor or against particular COVID-related changes in the work environment and could be answered on a 5-point Likert scale ("1 = Very much in favor", "2 = Rather in favor", "3 = 'In between'", "4 = Rather against", "5 = Very much against"). Items are ranked based on the sample mean, from most in favor (at the top of the graph) to least in favor (at the bottom of the graph). Mean values are indicated with a dot, along with the 95%-confidence interval around the mean. For the overall reporting of mean values for the total sample, item mean scores are reported above the confidence intervals. Respondents are in general in favor to keep particular COVID-related changes in the working context, such as more flexibility with respect to home office, working hours, and part-time work. Respondent are also in favor for less bureaucratic procedures for sickness leave, and less business trips and outside appointment. However, this should not come with more employer control, nor with increasingly fading boundaries between personal and professional life contexts. These results mainly show the overall challenges for the future of work, where more autonomy and flexibility is desired, but not at the cost of losing a clear delineation between professional and personal contexts. Moreover, women are for several aspects more in favor to keep COVID-related changes, such as keeping distance in the work environment, less business trips, and flexibility with respect to part-time work and home-office. Younger respondents (under 45) are also in favor of less business trips and external appointments, however not as much as respondents above 45. Except for the reduction of business trips and external appointments, no significant differences are reported between employees of the private and the public sectors. This suggest how challenges are similar across these sectors, and both public and private organizations can learn from each other to shape new attractive work environments. **Full report**: https://osf.io/8ujwy/ **Figures**: https://figshare.com/account/projects/79658/articles/12570623 **More info on related projects**: https://www.wu.ac.at/en/pubmgt/researchandpublications/prosocial-and-societal-behavior/covid19