Backlash Effect? White Americans' Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Download data and study materials from OSF

Principal investigator:

Lafleur Stephens-Dougan

Princeton University

Email: lafleurs@princeton.edu

Homepage: https://politics.princeton.edu/people/lafleur-stephens-dougan

Sample size: 591

Field period: 04/29/2020-06/08/2020

• H1: Exposure to COVID-19 racial disparities information will be associated with racially prejudiced Whites becoming more resistant to COVID-19 guidelines.
• H2: Exposure to COVID-19 racial disparities information will be associated with non-racially prejudiced Whites becoming more supportive of COVID-19 guidelines.

Control
As of May 21, 2020, there have been more than 1.5 million cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States. Over 93,000 Americans have died as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19), but some places have been hit harder than others. In New York, which has the country's highest numbers of confirmed cases and deaths, over 22,000 people have died. In Michigan, over 5,000 people have died from the virus. In Louisiana, 2,485 people have died from the virus. Finally, in Illinois, 4,525 people have died from the coronavirus.

Treatment
As of May 21, 2020, there have been more than 1.5 million cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States. Over 93,000 Americans have died as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19), but some places have been hit harder than others, with Blacks/African Americans having disproportionate death rates. In New York, which has the country's highest numbers of confirmed cases and deaths, over 22,000 people have died, but Blacks/African Americans are three times as likely to die as Whites. In Michigan, over 5,000 people have died from the virus, but Blacks/African Americans are five times as likely as Whites to die from the virus. In Louisiana, where 2,485 people have died from the virus, Blacks/African Americans account for 60% of the coronavirus deaths, while they are only 33% of the population. Finally, in Illinois, 4,525 people have died from the coronavirus. Blacks/African Americans account for 42% of the coronavirus deaths in Illinois, although they are only 15% of the population. Collectively, Blacks/African Americans represent 12.9% of the population nationwide but have suffered 25.1% of deaths.

1. How important is it for people to wear a mask when coming close to people outside of their home (because of the coronavirus outbreak)?
2. State and local directives that ask people to "shelter in place" or to be "safer at home" are a threat to individual rights and freedom.
3. During the coronavirus outbreak, please indicate whether each of the following should be allowed without any restrictions, allowed but with restrictions on crowd size or physical distancing, or not allowed at all in the United States:
   Visiting parks, beaches, or other outdoor spaces
4. How often do you think the following groups follow social distancing guidelines? (Blacks/African Americans)

Racially prejudiced Whites exposed to the treatment were less likely to think that it was "extremely" or "very" important to wear a face mask, compared to racially prejudiced Whites in the control condition (32 percent vs 60 percent) p<0.05.

Racially prejudiced Whites exposed to the treatment were more likely to agree that shelter-in-place-orders were a threat to their individual rights and freedoms, relative to the control condition (46 percent vs. 30 percent) p < 0.10

Racially prejudiced Whites exposed to the treatment were more likely to support outdoor recreational activities without any restrictions, relative to the control condition (32 percent vs. 14 percent) p<0.05

Racially prejudiced Whites exposed tot the treatment were more likely to perceive Black people as not following social distancing guidelines, relative to the control condition (71 percent vs. 45 percent) p < 0.05