Why do some people not play by the rules?

Lockdowns and social distancing measures introduced around the world to try to curb the Covid-19 pandemic are reshaping lives, legislating activities that were once everyday freedoms and creating new social norms.

However, there are always some people who don’t play by the rules.

Rule-breaking is not a new phenomenon, but behavioural scientists say it is being worsened in the coronavirus pandemic by cultural, demographic and psychological factors that can make the flouters seem more selfish and dangerous.

Here are some questions and answers on the science of human behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic:

Michael Sanders, an expert at the Policy Institute at King’s College London.

In collectivist cultures, people are more likely to do what’s best for the group.

Are trust and fear important?

Yes. These and other instincts are significant influences on human behaviour. In societies with more political division, for example, people are less likely to trust advice from one side or the other, and also tend to form proand anti-camps.

Optimism and fear are also crucial. A little of both can be positive, but too much of either can be damaging.

“In a situation like a pandemic, optimism can lead you to take risks that are incredibly dangerous,” says Van Bavel.

Why is social distancing so difficult?

“We are truly social animals,” says Van Bavel. “Our bodies and brains are designed for connection and the pandemic in many ways goes against our instincts to connect.”

That’s partly why local outbreaks can crop up in bars and nightclubs, or religious ceremonies, weddings and parties.

“People have a hard time resisting that tendency for social and group connection.”

If rule-breakers are a minority, why does it matter?

“The problem is that, in a massive collective problem like the one we’re facing now, if everybody breaks the rules a little bit, then it’s not dissimilar to lots of people not following the rules at all,” says Sanders.