Group Conformity

The Pandemic and YOU

Do you wear a mask when you go out in public? Are you more likely to wear a mask if the people around you are wearing a mask, or do you wear one regardless of what other people are doing? Do you see people who refuse to wear masks? Why do you think people refuse to wear a mask to protect themselves and others?

Establishing group conformity around the issue of wearing masks is a hotly debated topic in the United States. In the spring of 2020, anti-mask protests erupted across the country, with citizens arguing masks made it hard to breathe and impinged on their individual rights (Hess 2020). While other countries have quickly adopted masks, the reluctance of U.S. governors to order their usage, or then President Trump to wear one, has meant that attitudes and behavioral norms have not aligned with health science recommendations that say wearing masks helps halt the spread of COVID-19 (Godoy 2020).