Preventive behaviours during the pandemic: the role of collective rituals, emotional synchrony, social norms, and moral obligation

One of the main challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic is that it has necessitated a series of behavioural changes designed to stop the spread of the disease. This study focuses on collective processes with a social influence and intra-individual processes, as factors which mould preventive behaviours among Spanish citizens (N = 528). Using an on-line survey, we explored the impact of the ritual of collective applause (carried out daily for over 70 days), the role of perceived social norms in fostering preventive behaviours, and the mediating power of perceived emotional synchrony and a sense of moral obligation, as intra-individual processes. The dependent variables were preventive behaviours carried out in the past and intention to continue engaging in them in the future.