Scientific Knowledge, Perception and Attitudinal Changes during Corona Pandemic

Abstract

This paper is based on a survey study conducted during the lockdown period in India. The data was collected through online and off-line questionnaire. Response to the call was received from 27 provinces of India but the sample remained northern-state-centric. The lockdown prevented us from organising face-to-face interviews. We received 2780 filled-in questionnaires, out of which 2223 were found to be valid and were subjected to data analysis. The article deals with description of pandemic as it developed, the scientific information that was communicated to the public, the level of absorption of this information and the perceptions that resulted in attitudinal changes during the first phases of the pandemic. Based on the univariate analysis the paper presents the percentage response distribution. Evidently, the surge of the pandemic created a new normal in a very short period of time and brought about significant attitudinal changes among the public.