Study: Pandemic More Disruptive Than 9/11

Americans coping with the coronavirus are reporting changes in their lives occurring in days that previously took months or years, a wide-ranging study of life during the pandemic conducted by the USC Center for the Digital Future and the Interactive Advertising Bureau has found. The study shows Americans report many concerns about their lives as well as increased loneliness and anxiety since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, but they also describe strengthened relationships and enjoying the benefits of working at home. Titled “The Coronavirus Disruption Project: How We are Living and Coping During the Pandemic,” the study also found significant percentages of Americans who had never previously banked online or bought from internet sources have now been pushed into the online experience because of the pandemic.

“We are exploring the biggest disruption of our lives,” said Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future in the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. “Daily life is far more disrupted by the pandemic than after 9/11 or the beginning of World War II, and anxiety is at levels only seen after Pearl Harbor and the Great Depression.

“Yet in spite of the upheaval,” Cole said, “we also found that Americans have positive views about their relationships and hope for how their lives will proceed after the pandemic ends.”

The study results, said Brad Berens, senior vice president and head of thought leadership for the Interactive Advertising Bureau, “show that the coronavirus crisis is accelerating shifts in consumer behavior that will permanently alter the way Americans watch, read, listen, play, shop, work, and socialize.”

“It’s too soon to pick particular winners and losers,” said Berens. “But changing attitudes about the news, trust in government, new favorite video channels, upstart brands, and gaming habits are certain to emerge from the rubble – as will a new appreciation for the joys of cocooning. We anticipate that nothing our 650 member companies do will return to the status quo ante.”

The Coronavirus Disruption Project explores about 100 questions involving views about life and behavior during the pandemic, including emotional concerns, loneliness, anxiety, parenting, online education, media and entertainment, shopping behavior, political views, and the problems and benefits of working at home.

“Without preparation or our permission, we are all participating in the greatest social experiment of our time,” said Cole. “We are learning how to live our lives 24/7 on the internet – whether we want to or not.”

Read Music More