COVID-19 Provides a Rare Opportunity to Create a Stronger, More Equitable Society

Shai Davidai; Martin V. Day; Daniela  Goya-Tocchetto; Oliver P.  Hauser; Jon M. Jachimowicz; M. Usman Mirza; Nailya Ordabayeva; L. Taylor Phillips; Barnabas Szaszi; Stephanie J. Tepper

doi:https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7

COVID-19 Provides a Rare Opportunity to Create a Stronger, More Equitable Society

Shai Davidai, Martin V. Day, Daniela Goya-Tocchetto, Oliver P. Hauser, Jon M. Jachimowicz, M. Usman Mirza, Nailya Ordabayeva, L. Taylor Phillips, Barnabas Szaszi, Stephanie J. Tepper

Research output: Working paper / Preprint › Working paper

Abstract

COVID-19—and the ensuing economic fallout—exposed society’s vast inequalities. Current stimulus plans and ongoing debates revolve around restoring society to its pre-COVID-19 state, a singular focus driven by a prevalent status quo bias. We propose that policymakers should adopt a more ambitious goal: to take advantage of the change momentum of COVID-19 to reduce social inequalities in order to build society’s resilience for the next time disaster strikes. We suggest that this redesign will require a focus on the multidimensional nature of social and economic inequalities, and a shift toward strengthening communities rather than a sole focus on individual households and businesses. This crisis should be seen as a unique window for restructuring society by creating new norms and ideals rather than returning to the pre-COVID-19 status quo.

Original language	English
Publisher	PsyArXiv Preprints
Number of pages	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7
Publication status	Published - 2020

Keywords

COVID-19
inequality
policy
status quo bias

Access to Document

https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@techreport{3984bd20a8514445963e53a0432d97b3,

title = "COVID-19 Provides a Rare Opportunity to Create a Stronger, More Equitable Society",

abstract = "COVID-19—and the ensuing economic fallout—exposed society{\textquoteright}s vast inequalities. Current stimulus plans and ongoing debates revolve around restoring society to its pre-COVID-19 state, a singular focus driven by a prevalent status quo bias. We propose that policymakers should adopt a more ambitious goal: to take advantage of the change momentum of COVID-19 to reduce social inequalities in order to build society{\textquoteright}s resilience for the next time disaster strikes. We suggest that this redesign will require a focus on the multidimensional nature of social and economic inequalities, and a shift toward strengthening communities rather than a sole focus on individual households and businesses. This crisis should be seen as a unique window for restructuring society by creating new norms and ideals rather than returning to the pre-COVID-19 status quo.",

keywords = "COVID-19, inequality, policy, status quo bias",

author = "Shai Davidai and Day, {Martin V.} and Daniela Goya-Tocchetto and Hauser, {Oliver P.} and Jachimowicz, {Jon M.} and Mirza, {M. Usman} and Nailya Ordabayeva and Phillips, {L. Taylor} and Barnabas Szaszi and Tepper, {Stephanie J.}",

note = "Davidai, S., Day, M. V., Goya-Tocchetto, D., Hauser, O. P., Jachimowicz, J., Mirza, M., … Tepper, S. J. (2020, April 27). COVID-19 Provides a Rare Opportunity to Create a Stronger, More Equitable Society. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7",

year = "2020",

doi = "https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7",

language = "English",

publisher = "PsyArXiv Preprints",

address = "United States",

type = "WorkingPaper",

institution = "PsyArXiv Preprints",

}

TY - UNPB

T1 - COVID-19 Provides a Rare Opportunity to Create a Stronger, More Equitable Society

AU - Davidai, Shai

AU - Day, Martin V.

AU - Goya-Tocchetto, Daniela

AU - Hauser, Oliver P.

AU - Jachimowicz, Jon M.

AU - Mirza, M. Usman

AU - Ordabayeva, Nailya

AU - Phillips, L. Taylor

AU - Szaszi, Barnabas

AU - Tepper, Stephanie J.

N1 - Davidai, S., Day, M. V., Goya-Tocchetto, D., Hauser, O. P., Jachimowicz, J., Mirza, M., … Tepper, S. J. (2020, April 27). COVID-19 Provides a Rare Opportunity to Create a Stronger, More Equitable Society. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - COVID-19—and the ensuing economic fallout—exposed society’s vast inequalities. Current stimulus plans and ongoing debates revolve around restoring society to its pre-COVID-19 state, a singular focus driven by a prevalent status quo bias. We propose that policymakers should adopt a more ambitious goal: to take advantage of the change momentum of COVID-19 to reduce social inequalities in order to build society’s resilience for the next time disaster strikes. We suggest that this redesign will require a focus on the multidimensional nature of social and economic inequalities, and a shift toward strengthening communities rather than a sole focus on individual households and businesses. This crisis should be seen as a unique window for restructuring society by creating new norms and ideals rather than returning to the pre-COVID-19 status quo.

AB - COVID-19—and the ensuing economic fallout—exposed society’s vast inequalities. Current stimulus plans and ongoing debates revolve around restoring society to its pre-COVID-19 state, a singular focus driven by a prevalent status quo bias. We propose that policymakers should adopt a more ambitious goal: to take advantage of the change momentum of COVID-19 to reduce social inequalities in order to build society’s resilience for the next time disaster strikes. We suggest that this redesign will require a focus on the multidimensional nature of social and economic inequalities, and a shift toward strengthening communities rather than a sole focus on individual households and businesses. This crisis should be seen as a unique window for restructuring society by creating new norms and ideals rather than returning to the pre-COVID-19 status quo.

KW - COVID-19

KW - inequality

KW - policy

KW - status quo bias

U2 - https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7

DO - https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hz4c7

M3 - Working paper

BT - COVID-19 Provides a Rare Opportunity to Create a Stronger, More Equitable Society

PB - PsyArXiv Preprints

ER -