The effect of social distancing on trust and solidarity

• Published in: Journal of behavioral and experimental economics Vol. 119; p. 102402
• Main Authors: Filippin, Antonio, Pace, Noemi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.12.2025
• Subjects: COVID-19; Risk aversion; Social distancing; Solidarity; Stay-at-home orders; Trust; Trustworthiness; COVID-19; Risk aversion; Trustworthiness; Social distancing; C91; Solidarity; D81; Stay-at-home orders; C81; Trust
• ISSN: 2214-8043
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2025.102402

This paper investigates the effect of social distancing on behavioral traits (trust, trustworthiness, and solidarity) that are important in interpersonal relationships. Toward this goal, we exploit the exogenous manipulation of social distancing provided by the different timing of stay-at-home orders issued in New York and Arizona during the COVID-19 outbreak. The experimental design also entails a between-subject manipulation in order to distinguish In-group vs. Out-group effects. The results show a positive In-group effect on trust, robust to the degree of compliance to the treatment, while we do not find evidence of significant effects on the other behavioral traits. •The paper studies the effect of social distancing on two behavioral traits: trust and solidarity.•The experimental design entails a between subject manipulation to distinguish Ingroup Vs. Outgroup effects.•The results show a positive Ingroup effect on trust that is robust to the degree of compliance with the treatment.•No evidence of significant effects in the Outgroup condition as well as on trustworthiness and solidarity.