This article reports on an examinations of various motives for peoples’ reactions to COVID-19 era social distancing recommendations.
Social distancing emerged as a key public health recommendation designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 prior to the development of vaccines. Studies have focused on individual health beliefs and political orientation to explain variability in levels of compliance. The current study draws on in-depth interviews with a subset of respondents who had participated in a larger longitudinal study (n=54) to explore ways in which individuals managed and navigated this unique period. Drawing on basic tenets of symbolic interaction and life course theories, analyses highlighted social influences and lifestyle contingencies that shaped beliefs and affected variability in this form of compliance. (Published Abstract Provided)