My research question is if society must keep its values and get back to them after the profound life changes after the pandemic or establish new morals to follow. The social scientific background of the issue contains academic literature about social principles, peer-reviewed articles discussing human and social behaviors, and recent research that includes surveys and studies of people’s lives during the pandemic. Although the crisis is not entirely over yet, its impact is already visible; therefore, scientists examine and compare them to the pre-crisis conditions to forecast further reactions and prevent the problems (Sibley et al., 2020). The response to my investigation’s question is based on social scientific data and recent researches; thus, the conclusions have enough evidence to be considered in determining the new values and evaluating the old ones.
The COVID-19 pandemic impact on social values is situated within multiple social sciences like psychology, anthropology, and sociology. Psychologists can learn how an individual reacts to the lack of socialization and evaluate the importance of being a part of a community depending on a personality type. Anthropologists can discover new behavioral approaches and compare them to the alterations in people’s values of past critical events. Sociologists can determine if the society demands changes in how it is perceived and forecast the pandemic’s outcomes for various social segments.
The investigated issue impacts all the audience as every person’s life has changed since the beginning of the pandemic. Moreover, each of us is a society member, and our choices will influence future social development. As young adults, the way we integrate into society determines how future generations will build their relationships. Human is a social being, and the experience of distancing from others affected our minds, habits, and values.
My investigation and research outcomes can help the audience choose the right direction for improving social values in the new realities. Besides, the sooner the proper decisions are made, the more benefits for society and individuals will occur. For example, the research of Van Bavel et al. (2020) concluded that “urgent action is needed to mitigate the potentially devastating effects of COVID-19, an action that can be supported by the social sciences” (p. 470). We have the power to implement the new practices that will help us thrive as a society even if there is no physical community, and my investigation provides information to build the novel values.
The research question demanded to analyze the social values, their importance during the pre-pandemic period, and how they are being perceived now. It was evident that due to the lockdowns, our vision of community, responsibilities for others, and respect changed to more self-centralized behaviors. The investigation admitted that the worldwide pandemic seriously impacted the essential social values, and people need to build new principles. For example, studies show that getting used to the new realities is less psychologically harmful than attempting to return to the old values (Van Bavel et al., 2020). The conclusion requires us to revise how we see society and choose the most convenient way to stay mentally and physically healthy without decreasing the values of being part of the community and caring about people around us.
I chose this social science issue because it is new and not well-explored. The investigation can reveal essential data useful for further researches and show how society reacts to significant lifestyle changes. Moreover, I am a part of the community, and the research outcomes directly impact my life and values. The pandemic conditions brought humanity into the new circumstances we need to comply with to survive and thrive as a society.
Moreover, I chose to make this investigation because the scientific data about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social values is fresh and can be compared to the pre-crisis conditions. The more people are involved in an experience, the more critical and urgent its assessment becomes for science and society (Van Dijck et al., 2018). The research outcomes might also help in dealing with unfamiliar situations and assist in making behavioral choices while communicating.
When I felt the changes in the way people perceive social values, I decided that it is temporary due to the uncomfortable conditions, and we will be back to our community-based life after the pandemic. However, choosing to apply science-based tools like research made me discover that the crisis’s influence on society can vary. The scientific thinking and researching approach significantly changed how I perceived the pandemic’s impact on essential social values.
I explored the research and peer-reviewed articles that describe how human behavior changed, how it impacts society, and demand new social values. For example, Sibley et al. examined how the lockdown affected the values of New Zealanders and discovered that mental health and subjective well-being became more important than society-related principles (Sibley et al., 2020). The investigation provided me with evidence-based scientific data that can move me to make decisions instead of only thinking about the novelty of our life circumstances. Considering the data, I gained during the research, I concluded that humanity should build new social values rather than trying to keep the obsolete ones in an uncommon life.
References
Sibley, C. G., Greaves, L. M., Satherley, N., Wilson, M. S., Overall, N. C., Lee, C. H., & Houkamau, C. A. (2020). Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown on trust, attitudes toward government, and well-being. American Psychologist, 75(5), 618-630. Web.
Van Bavel, J. J., Baicker, K., Boggio, P. S., Capraro, V., Cichocka, A., Cikara, M., & Drury, J. (2020). Using social and behavioral science to support the COVID-19 pandemic response. Nature Human Behaviour, 4, 460-471.
Van Dijck, J., Poell, T., & De Waal, M. (2018). The platform society: Public values in a connective world. Oxford University Press.