Information Trust Falls: The Role of Social Networks and Information During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Suburbanites

Public cooperation with health experts and authorities plays a critical role in curbing the spread of disease during outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Through data collected using mixed methods in May and June of 2020, we investigate the influence of information from horizontal and vertical ties on the likelihood that individuals would practice safe and healthy behavior. We look at actions such as staying home, wearing personal protective equipment, and increased handwashing in two northeastern U.S. metro areas. Controlling for factors thought critical in previous studies, our analysis of more than eight hundred survey responses and more than sixty interviews finds that reliance on information from horizontal and vertical ties correlates significantly with behaviors designed to curb the spread of the virus.