Reflection of Types of Prosocial Behavior During COVID-19 in Collectivistic Asian Countrie: India and Indonesia

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Qualitative Health Research

Abstract

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that has widened the gap between victims and non-victims in society. Understanding how individuals support and assist COVID-19 sufferers in a pandemic crisis is critical. Thus, this study aims to qualitatively evaluate the prosocial intention and types of prosocial behavior toward COVID-19 victims by low socioeconomic individuals from India and Indonesia's collectivistic societies. We conducted semi-structured and in-depth interviews during the lockdown from March to May 2020, via phone and in-person, using a purposive selection of respondents (total n = 50). The data were analyzed using the qualitative synthesis method. Five themes were discovered 1) too scared to help, 2) love to help but scared moral dilemma, 3) informing authority who knows how to handle, 4) caring, sharing, and supporting, but with a distance, and 5) helping at one's personal health risk. This study highlights that prosocial intentions range from minor acts of kindness to self-harm and out-of-bounds acts of kindness for COVID-19 victims. © The Author(s) 2022.

Publication Date

30-9-2022

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Volume

Vol.32

Issue

Iss.13

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