Title: How social capacity maintains social distancing in the efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19: evidence from Indonesia

Authors: Iwan Nugroho; Rita Hanafie; Purnawan Dwikora Negara; Wiwin Purnomowati; Rudy Joegijantoro

Addresses: Widyagama University of Malang, Jl. Borobudur 35, Malang, 65128, Indonesia ' Widyagama University of Malang, Jl. Borobudur 35, Malang, 65128, Indonesia ' Widyagama University of Malang, Jl. Borobudur 35, Malang, 65128, Indonesia ' Widyagama University of Malang, Jl. Borobudur 35, Malang, 65128, Indonesia ' Widyagama Husada Health College, Jl. Taman Borobudur Indah No. 3a, Malang, 65142, Indonesia

Abstract: This study aims to investigate social distancing compliance and its relationship to social capacity and socio-economic factors in the efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Google Forms online survey was conducted on 449 respondents to explore socio-economic variables and their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis method used a path model to find the relationship between variables and the control of COVID-19. The results show that social distancing compliance is relatively low. Only 30.1% of the respondents stayed at home. The study found that social capacity is displayed within the influence of institutions on social aspects, social distancing, and the control of COVID-19. The social distancing variable also significantly mediates the relationship between the institution variable and COVID-19 control. The moderating effects of educational and institutional variables also show that they significantly influence social distancing.

Keywords: COVID-19; epidemiology; inclusive leadership; social distancing; social capacity; social capital; sustainable society; social trust; testing; tracing and quarantining; Indonesia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2024.140379

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2024 Vol.16 No.3, pp.222 - 244

Received: 07 Jul 2021
Received in revised form: 02 Oct 2022
Accepted: 26 Oct 2022
Published online: 06 Aug 2024 *

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