Authors of Research: Žan Lep, Kaja Hacin Beyazoglu in Kaja Babnik

Year of Research: 2020

Keywords: epidemic, pandemic, credibility of information, psychological response, protective behaviour, coronavirus, covid-19, trust, Serbia, vaccination

Rapid population response and compliance with preventive measures are two of the most effective ways to limit the spread of infections in the early stages of an epidemic. In Slovenia, where the population had relatively little experience with past epidemics, reporting on the new coronavirus was prevalent in the media even before the first confirmed COVID-19 case, and intensive reporting on the spread and informing the public continued thereafter. The study examines how people perceive this information, how well informed they are, and how they respond to developments related to the spread of the new coronavirus. More specifically it examines the extent to which they trust the various representatives and institutions and how credible they find the information received from them. In this regard, the study also examines how these perceptions are related to actual and hypothetical (in the presence of symptoms) compliance with measures to limit the spread of the disease. The study focuses on the first perceptions and responses of the population (within 100 hours of the first officially confirmed case of COVID-19 infection in Slovenia) and their connections with self-protective behavior. Respondents who responded to all the questions were considered in the analysis (n=1705). The syntax for translating the data file into English is available among the accompanying materials. Note: the final cleared database had been published, the results in publications published before that date might deviate slightly.

Find more information about the research in the ADP Data Catalogue.

Lep, Ž., Hacin Beyazoglu, K. and Babnik, K. (2021). Psychological profile of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia, 2020: Trust, information credibility, psychological and behavioural responses to the pandemic [Data file]. Ljubljana: Univerza v Ljubljani = University of Ljubljana, Slovenian Social Science Data Archives (ADP). ADP - IDNo: PPROSI20. https://doi.org/10.17898/ADP_PPROSI20_V1