Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

The Impact of Trust and Risk Perception on the Acceptance of Measures to Reduce Covid‐19 Cases

Bibliographic Data

ID23329327
AuthorsMichael Siegrist (0000-0002-6139-7190, ETH Zurich Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED) Consumer Behavior Universitätstrasse 22 Zurich 8092 Switzerland, corresponding author), Larissa Luchsinger (0009-0002-8148-5283), Angela Bearth (0000-0003-1270-6468)
Year2021
Volume41
Issue5
Pages787-800
Publication date2021-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueRisk Analysis (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0272-4332 • E-ISSN: 1539-6924
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/risa.13675
PMID33438218
OpenAlexW3119519937
LanguageEN
Citations received76
References cited41

The SARS‐CoV‐2 virus that causes COVID‐19 has had a large impact on the lives of many people worldwide. At the peak of confirmed COVID‐19 cases during the first wave in Switzerland (March–April 2020), we conducted a survey in the German‐speaking part of the country ( N = 1,585). The results suggest that the implemented measures are accepted. The survey participants are more concerned that other family members could catch the virus compared with themselves, and they are worried about its economic impact. The results suggest that how trust is measured is crucial because general trust and social trust have opposite effects on the participants’ risk perceptions. People with high general trust perceive less risks associated with COVID‐19 compared with people who have low general trust, and people with high social trust perceive more risks compared with people who have low social trust. The results further indicate that perceived risks are important drivers for the acceptance of the government's implemented measures to control COVID‐19 and for more precautionary behavior (i.e., contact with fewer people and more hygienic behavior). Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Actuarial science · Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · General Social Survey · Geography · German · Government (linguistics) · Outbreak · Perception · Political science · Risk perception · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) · Social capital · Social distance · Social trust · Applied Psychology · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Risk Perception and Management · Social Psychology

  • Social network exposures, political party affiliation, and perceived health risk

    Open Access•Caroline M Barry, Weihua An•Social Science & Medicine•2026

  • Adaptive Coping Strategies at the Time of Covid-19

    Open Access•Anna Rita Graziani, Lucia Botindari et al.•International Journal of…•2023

  • Risk, Obligation, and Public Noncompliance with Mobility Directives in China during the Covid-19 Pandemic

    Open Access•Chunhui Zheng, Jia Zhang et al.•International Journal of…•2022

  • Understanding Information Processing and Protective Behaviors during the Pandemic

    Open Access•Weidan Cao, Qinghua Yang et al.•International Journal of…•2023

  • Socio-ecological Factors Associated with Preventive Behavior against Covid-19 in Ethiopia

    Open Access•Kibur Engdawork, Ezana Amdework et al.•Comparative Sociology•2024

  • Conflicting Information and Compliance with Covid-19 Behavioral Recommendations

    Open Access•Asmeret Naugle, Fred Rothganger et al.•Journal of Artificial Societies…•2022

  • Reactions of older Swiss adults to the Covid-19 pandemic

    Open Access•Angela Bearth, Larissa Luchsinger et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2021

  • The foundations of influencing policy and practice

    Open Access•Duncan Shaw, James Scully et al.•Risk Analysis•2024

  • Factors Associated with the Patient’s Decision to Avoid Healthcare during the Covid-19 Pandemic

    Open Access•Patrícia Soares, Andreia Leite et al.•International Journal of…•2021

  • Government Reactions, Citizens’ Responses, and Covid-19 around the World

    Open Access•Jon Reiersen, Manuel Romero-Hernández et al.•International Journal of…•2022

  • Trust in healthcare before and during the Covid-19 pandemic

    Open Access•Helge Skirbekk, Morten Magelssen et al.•BMC Public Health•2023

  • Exploring People’s Perception of Covid-19 Risk

    Open Access•Dicky Pelupessy, Yasuhito Jibiki et al.•International Journal of…•2022

  • Official social media and its impact on public behavior during the first wave of Covid-19 in China

    Open Access•Huan Liu•BMC Public Health•2022

  • The influence of Covid-19 risk perception and vaccination status on the number of social contacts across Europe

    Open Access•James Wambua, Neilshan Loedy et al.•BMC Public Health•2023

  • Digital media exposure, trust, and preventive behaviors during Covid-19 pandemic

    Open Access•Zakir Shah, Lu Wei et al.•Acta Psychologica•2026

  • Navigating the social media landscape

    Open Access•Song Zhou, Qingli Guan et al.•Humanities and Social Sciences…•2024

  • How to improve the effectiveness of the cooperation networks of emergency science communication for public health emergencies

    Open Access•Jida Liu, Zheng Fu et al.•Humanities and Social Sciences…•2024

  • Assessing economic losses with Covid-19 integrated models

    Open Access•Timothy Robin Y Teng, Elvira P de Lara-Tuprio et al.•Humanities and Social Sciences…•2024

  • Want a worry-free trip? Seeking the optimal travel paradigm in view of public-to-individual risk perception

    Open Access•Chunbing Bao, Yuqiao Hui et al.•Humanities and Social Sciences…•2025

  • Unraveling the impact of social media involvement on public health participation in China

    Open Access•Wanqi Gong, Xigen Li et al.•Humanities and Social Sciences…•2025

  • Vulnerabilities and risk perceptions of contracting Covid-19 among Nepali migrant workers

    Open Access•Jiwnath Ghimire, Ratna Mani Nepal et al.•Social Sciences & Humanities Open•2023

  • Trust

    Open Access•Jon Reiersen, Kristin H Roll et al.•Frontiers in Communication•2022

  • Analyzing Risk Communication, Trust, Risk Perception, Negative Emotions, and Behavioral Coping Strategies During the Covid-19 Pandemic in China Using a Structural Equation Model

    Open Access•Junwang Gu, Rong He et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2022

  • Thinking on your feet

    Open Access•Denise Moreno Ramírez, Shannon Gutenkunst et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2022

  • Risk-driven or authority-based? Unraveling public policy compliance during the pandemic in China

    Open Access•Hua Zhang, Chunyan Luo et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2025

  • The impact of social media on risk perceptions during Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia

    Open Access•Khadijah Angawi, Mutlaq Albugmi•Frontiers in Public Health•2022

  • The influence of disaster knowledge, official trust, and sources of warning information on public risk perception in typhoon-prone areas of China

    Open Access•Ping Wei, Na Zhang et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2026

  • Characterization of superspreaders movement in a bidirectional corridor using a social force model

    Open Access•Dramane Sam Idris Kanté, Aissam Jebrane et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2023

  • The effect of government information release on public protective behaviors during the emerging infectious diseases epidemic in China

    Open Access•Yi Chun Li, Pan Tang•Frontiers in Public Health•2026

  • Exploring the Singapore general population’s trust in Covid-19 information from different sources and its association with perceived risk of infection during the pandemic

    Open Access•Fiona Devi, Bernard Chin Wee Tan et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2024

  • Understanding public support for Covid-19 pandemic mitigation measures over time

    Open Access•John Benjamin Frank de Wit, Denise De Ridder et al.•Frontiers in Public Health•2023

  • Policing during a pandemic

    Open Access•David A Makin, Ethan Howell et al.•International Journal of Disaster…•2024

  • Care organisations role as intermediaries between the authorities and the marginalised in crisis management

    Open Access•Kristi Nero, Kati Orru et al.•International Journal of Disaster…•2023

  • Coping efficacy is associated with the domain specificity in risk-taking behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic

    Open Access•Danfeng Li, Mengli Wu et al.•International Journal of Disaster…•2022

  • Risk communication and risk perception along with its influencing factors in Covid-19 disease

    Open Access•Sajjad Narimani, Naser Mozaffari et al.•International Journal of Disaster…•2023

  • Impact of government risk communication on residents’ decisions to adopt earthquake insurance

    Open Access•Qiang Li, Wei Liu•International Journal of Disaster…•2023

  • High school students’ trust and risk perception of typhoon disaster

    Open Access•Li Huang, Fuying Zhang et al.•International Journal of Disaster…•2022

  • Living in a pandemic

    Open Access•Elena Mondino, Anna Scolobig et al.•International Journal of Disaster…•2023

  • From warning messages to preparedness behavior

    Open Access•Yanan Guo, Shi An et al.•International Journal of Disaster…•2022

  • National health governance, science and the media

    Open Access•Claudia Hanson, Susanne Luedtke et al.•BMJ Global Health•2021

  • How trust in the government's flood response influences perception of flood hazard risk

    Open Access•Kai Li, Fang Yu et al.•Analyses of Social Issues and…•2024

  • Quantifying the Psychological Online Communities Considering the Relationship between Covid-19-Related Threat, Information Uncertainty, and Risk Perception

    Liangdong Lu, Jia Xu et al.•Natural Hazards Review•2024

  • Trust during crisis

    Open Access•Susana Coroado, Jakob Frateur•Public Management Review•2025

  • Peer effect and risk perception on preventive health behavior in a relatively closed environment

    Open Access•Chunxin Zhang, Huibin Du et al.•Current Psychology•2024

  • Perceived risk factors for severe Covid-19 symptoms and their association with health behaviours

    Open Access•Aleksandra Herbeć, Jamie Brown et al.•Acta Psychologica•2022

  • Trusting is believing

    Open Access•David Kelleher•Energy Research & Social Science•2022

  • Should we stay, or should we go? The influence of risk perceptions on revisit intentions to cultural heritage during the Covid-19 pandemic

    Open Access•Pieter De Rooij, Adriaan Van Liempt et al.•Journal of Heritage Tourism•2022

  • Factors of early Covid ‐19 prevention policy engagement in France and in the United States

    Open Access•Fanny Lauby, Christopher J Mckinley•Politics & Policy•2023

  • Effect of Values, Institutional Trust, and Risk Perceptions on Support for Policy Tools in Immunisation against Covid-19

    Lihi Lahat, Chen Sharony et al.•Journal of Comparative Policy…•2024

  • Social vulnerability triage

    Open Access•Kati Orru, Sten Hansson et al.•Journal of Risk Research•2025

  • The drivers and barriers of wearing a facemask during the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland

    Open Access•Angela Bearth, Michael Siegrist•Journal of Risk Research•2022

  • G technology, health and society

    Open Access•Nina Vaupotič, James Grellier et al.•Journal of Risk Research•2025

  • Covid-19 skepticism and the perception of risk

    Richárd Szántó, Levente Dudás•Journal of Risk Research•2022

  • Mechanisms behind Covid-19 scepticism among socially marginalised individuals in Europe

    Open Access•Kristi Nero, Kati Orru et al.•Journal of Risk Research•2023

  • The global research trends on health risk perception and communication

    Xia Cao, Binfang Yang et al.•Journal of Risk Research•2023

  • Polarized opinions on Covid-19 and environmental policy measures. The role of social media use and personal concerns in German-speaking countries

    Open Access•Beate Klösch, M Hadler et al.•Innovation The European Journal…•2023

  • Emerging Debates About Breakthrough Science

    Open Access•Isabel I Villanueva, Dayeon Eom et al.•Science Communication•2025

  • An assessment of air passenger confidence a year into the Covid-19 crisis

    Open Access•Thomas Budd, Pere Suau-Sanchez et al.•Journal of Transport Geography•2021

  • Dysfunctional trusting and distrusting

    Open Access•Volker Patent•Journal of Trust Research•2022

  • Wrapped in a veil

    Qiu Cheng•Journal of Information Technology…•2023

  • Learning from Covid-19

    Open Access•Anna Scolobig, Maria João Santos et al.•Environmental Science & Policy•2024

  • How to shore up trust during the “cold-period” between pandemics – closing the public trust gap in pandemic preparedness frameworks

    Open Access•Kimon Papadopoulos, Viktor Von Wyl et al.•Global Health Action•2026

  • Trust and distrust in low‐income Michigan residents during the early Covid‐19 pandemic

    Open Access•Gavisha Waidyaratne, Eric Steinbrook et al.•Health Expectations•2023

  • Portuguese Version of Covid-19 Perceived Risk Scale and Covid-19 Phobia Scale

    Open Access•Ângela Leite, Diogo Guedes Vidal et al.•European Journal of Investigation…•2021

  • How does risk perception of the Covid-19 pandemic affect the consumption behavior of green food

    Open Access•Houjian Li, Andi Cao et al.•Environment Development and…•2022

  • Protecting mass-gathering events in a pandemic with testing tracks and transparent information

    Open Access•Felix G Rebitschek, Yvonne Eisenmann et al.•Psychology & Health•2025

  • Travel shaming? Re-thinking travel decision making amid a global pandemic

    Open Access•Xingyu Huang, Xiang Li et al.•Tourism Management•2023

  • Balancing act

    Open Access•Zonghan Li, Qiang Zhang et al.•Environmental Impact Assessment…•2025

  • Oarsmen or Guardians? Exploring the Influence of Attitudes Toward Government Interventions on Perceptions of Government's Trustworthiness

    Open Access•Song Lang, Qi Bian et al.•Journal of Contingencies and…•2026

  • Effects of Government Mistrust and Group-Based Medical Mistrust on Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among a Sample of African Americans

    Open Access•Melinda Manning, Rhonda Dailey et al.•Annals of Behavioral Medicine•2025

  • Fears, Pandemic, and the Shaping of Social Trust

    Open Access•Ali Abdelzadeh, Thomas Sedelius•Scandinavian Political Studies•2025

  • Explaining compliance with Covid-19 regulation in China and the United States

    Open Access•Meng Yuan, Marcus Mayorga et al.•Journal of Public Policy•2024

  • When Trust Matters

    Open Access•Hwanseok Song, Prudence Timuche Mbah•Science Communication•2025

  • What Is the Flag We Rally Around? Trust in Information Sources at the Outset of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Latvia

    Open Access•Anda Rožukalne, Vineta Kleinberga et al.•Social Sciences•2022

  • Saliva testing among teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic

    Open Access•Marlies Van De Casteele, Joachim Waterschoot et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2022

  • Don't say it's over

    Open Access•Yadviga Sinyavskaya, Ksenia Eritsyan et al.•Journal of Health Psychology•2024

  • A Social‐Cognitive Model of Pandemic Influenza H1N1 Risk Perception and Recommended Behaviors in Italy

    Open Access•Gabriele Prati, Luca Pietrantoni et al.•Risk Analysis•2011

  • Trust and Risk Perception

    Open Access•Michael Siegrist•Risk Analysis•2021

  • Perception and Communication of Flood Risks

    Open Access•Wim Kellens, Teun Terpstra et al.•Risk Analysis•2013

  • Optimistic Biases About Personal Risks

    Open Access•Neil D Weinstein•Science•1989

  • The affect heuristic

    Open Access•Paul Slovic, Melissa L Finucane et al.•European Journal of Operational…•2007

  • Flooding Risks

    Open Access•Michael Siegrist, Heinz Gutscher•Risk Analysis•2006

  • Trust in medical organizations predicts pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccination behavior and perceived efficacy of protection measures in the Swiss public

    Open Access•Ingrid Gilles, Adrian Bangerter et al.•European Journal of Epidemiology•2011

  • Compliance with recommendations for pandemic influenza H1N1 2009

    Gabriele Prati, Luca Pietrantoni et al.•Health Education Research•2011

  • The Risk Perception Paradox—Implications for Governance and Communication of Natural Hazards

    Open Access•Gisela Wachinger, Ortwin Renn et al.•Risk Analysis•2013

  • Risk as Analysis and Risk as Feelings

    Open Access•Paul Slovic, Melissa L Finucane et al.•Risk Analysis•2004

  • The Role of Affect and Worldviews as Orienting Dispositions in the Perception and Acceptance of Nuclear Power 1

    Open Access•Ellen Peters, Paul Slovic•Journal of Applied Social…•1996

  • Risk Perception and Affect

    Open Access•Paul Slovic, Ellen Peters•Current Directions in Psychological…•2006

  • Risk Perception

    Open Access•Michael Siegrist, Joseph Arvai•Risk Analysis•2020

  • The Role of Public Trust During Pandemics

    Michael Siegrist, Alexandra Zingg•European Psychologist•2013

  • Salient Value Similarity, Social Trust, and Risk/Benefit Perception

    Open Access•Michael Siegrist, George Cvetkovich et al.•Risk Analysis•2000

  • Perception of Hazards

    Open Access•Michael Siegrist, George Cvetkovich•Risk Analysis•2000

  • A new scale for the measurement of interpersonal trust1

    Open Access•Julian B Rotter•Journal of Personality•1967

  • A Preliminary Evaluation of the Public Risk Perception Related to the Covid-19 Health Emergency in Italy

    Open Access•Giulia Motta Zanin, Eleonora Gentile et al.•International Journal of…•2020

  • Monitoring the level of government trust, risk perception and intention of the general public to adopt protective measures during the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in the Netherlands

    Open Access•Willemien van der Weerd, Danielle R M Timmermans et al.•BMC Public Health•2011

  • Perception of risk

    Michael Siegrist, Heinz Gutscher et al.•Journal of Risk Research•2005

  • Risk perceptions of Covid-19 around the world

    Open Access•Sarah Dryhurst, Claudia R Schneider et al.•Journal of Risk Research•2020

  • The paradox of trust

    Catherine Mei Ling Wong, Olivia Jensen•Journal of Risk Research•2020

  • A social trap for the climate? Collective action, trust and climate change risk perception in 35 countries

    Open Access•E Keith Smith, Adam Mayer•Global Environmental Change•2018

  • The affect heuristic in judgments of risks and benefits

    Open Access•Melissa L Finucane, Ali Alhakami et al.•Journal of Behavioral Decision…•2000

  • The Provision of a Sanctioning System in the United States and Japan

    Toshio Yamagishi•Social Psychology Quarterly•1988

  • Racial Disparities in Exposure, Susceptibility, and Access to Health Care in the US H1N1 Influenza Pandemic

    Sandra C Quinn, Supriya Kumar et al.•American Journal of Public Health•2011

  • Generalized Exchange and Social Dilemmas

    Toshio Yamagishi, K S Cook•Social Psychology Quarterly•1993

  • Measuring Trust

    Edward L Glaeser, David Laibson et al.•The Quarterly Journal of Economics•2000

Unique citing works76
Citations per year15,2
Citation span2021 - 2026 (6)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 69
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae