Pro-Social Behaviors and Social Media Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study will examine the association between sources of social media exposure and adherence to pro-social behavior in the context of the United States (e.g., mask-wearing, attitudes towards vaccination, and uptake of vaccination) through a population-representative sample of the United States over three time periods (i.e. a longitudinal survey collected over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic). The methods for this study consisted of using survey weights and generalized linear models (GLM) to examine willingness to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and mask-wearing practices. Findings provide insight into the potential impact of different social media sources on pro-social behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of understanding how sources of social media exposure can influence health behaviors.