Social Norms Can Spread Like A Virus

Social norms shift as potential beachgoers stay home. A view of the empty Santa Monica beach at sunset due to the new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Santa Monica, United States on March 27, 2020. ANADOLU AGENCY VIA GETTY IMAGES.

For the 90% of Americans now ordered to stay home (up from 20% just a week ago ) to stave off the risk of catching and spreading the novel coronavirus, keeping a strict distance from others is beginning to feel like the new normal. Every other conversation is peppered with observations from friends, family and coworkers on how much has changed in such little time, and how easily we have found ourselves slipping into new…