Change in anti-COVID-19 behaviour and anti-immigrant prejudice during the COVID-19 pandemic: Longitudinal evidence from five European countries

During a pandemic, it is vital to identify factors that motivate individuals to behave in ways that limit virus transmission (i.e., anti-COVID-19 behaviour). Fear has been suggested to motivate health-oriented behaviour, yet fear of the virus (i.e., fear of COVID-19) could have unintended consequences, such as an increase in anti-immigrant prejudice. In a three-wave longitudinal study (N-T1 = 4275) in five European countries from April to October 2020, we investigated how social norms, the impact of the pandemic on individuals, and intergroup contact affected fear of COVID-19 and-or in turn-anti-COVID-19 behaviour and prejudice towards immigrants. A latent change score model--distinguishing between intra- and inter-individual changes in outcomes--indicated that fear of COVID-19 influenced neither anti-COVID-19 behaviour nor prejudice. Anti-COVID-19 behaviour was increased by anti-COVID-19 norms (i.e., belief that others perform anti-COVID-19 behaviours), while prejudice was influenced by positive and negative direct and mass-mediated intergroup contact.