The Implications of Culture on the Spread of COVID-19

Welcome to our project website!

Our research project aims to undertake an empirical approach to understand the cultural determinants of COVID-19 spread across countries. While most of the states have undertaken similar measures, i.e., partial or total lockdown, yet the spread rates and the effectiveness of the measures have been different across countries. Differences do not appear to be driven solely by different timing of the implementation or by their severity, but also by several other factors.

Our main objective is to identify and quantify the impact of several cultural determinants on virus diffusion. We focus on gender roles in society, given that men and women have different degrees of risk aversion, interpersonal trust, trust in government, political parties, and institutions. We also explore compliance with rules, the degree of socialization, and the integration of older people in societies.

Research program “COVID-CULT:The Cultural Determinants of the Spread of COVID-19”, a 20-month funded program supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the 4th Call for Action “Science and Society”-Emblematic Action– “Interventions to address the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic” (Project Number: 4890).