COVID-19 and Stigma: Evolution of Self-restraint Behavior

Kenichi Kurita; Shunsuke Managi

doi:10.1007/s13235-022-00426-2

COVID-19 and Stigma: Evolution of Self-restraint Behavior

Dyn Games Appl. 2022;12(1):168-182. doi: 10.1007/s13235-022-00426-2. Epub 2022 Jan 25.

Authors

Kenichi Kurita¹, Shunsuke Managi¹

Affiliation

¹ Urban Institute and Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395 Japan.

Abstract

Social stigma can effectively prevent people from going out and possibly spreading COVID-19. Using the framework of replicator dynamics, we analyze the interaction between self-restraint behavior, infection with viruses such as COVID-19, and stigma against going out. Our model is analytically solvable with respect to an interior steady state in contrast to the previous model of COVID-19 with stigma. We show that a non-legally binding policy reduces the number of people going out in a steady state.

Keywords: COVID-19; Non-pharmaceutical interventions; Replicator dynamics; Self-restraint behavior; Stigma.