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The public’s actions will likely have a significant effect on the course of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Human behavior is conditioned and shaped by information and people’s perceptions. This study investigated the impact of risk perception on trust in government and self-efficacy. It examined whether the use of social media helped people adopt preventive actions during the pandemic. To test this hypothesis, the researchers gathered data from 512 individuals (students and academics) based in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results suggested that risk perception had a significant effect on trust in government and self-efficacy. Moreover, these correlations were stronger when social media was used as a source for gathering information on COVID-19. In some cases, it even helped users avoid exposure to the virus. This study assessed the relationship between risk perception and the awareness gained from using social media during the pandemic and highlighted how social media usage influences trust in government and self-efficacy.

Governments around the world have issued movement restrictions and quarantines to combat the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the Swedish government has not implemented such measures but has depended on individual responsibility. The extent to which individuals have been encouraged to trust in and be satisfied with government strategies and adopt personal health measures, such as social isolation, remains unclear. This study examines the direct effects of trust in the government and risk perception on self-efficacy. Most importantly, this study intends to explore whether satisfaction with government measures strengthens the relationships between 1) trust in the government and self-efficacy and 2) risk perception and self-efficacy. We test our suggested hypotheses using survey data obtained from 403 Swedish citizens living in Sweden. As predicted, the findings indicate that trust in the government and risk perception positively impact individual self-efficacy. Additionally, the findings reveal that satisfaction with government measures strengthens these relationships; more precisely, the impact of trust in the government and risk perception under a high level of individual satisfaction with government measures is much more positive than that under a low satisfaction level. In practice, a focus on implementing successful policies and excellent individual self-efficacy is required to halt the pandemic, and the findings indicate that combining strictly attentive and adaptive individual strategies with government strategies can minimize the spread of infection.

This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between the discretion of street-level bureaucrats and their willingness to implement as well as between discretion and client meaningfulness by testing street-level bureaucrat theory in a different context. The effect of discretion on willingness to implement and client meaningfulness may differ due to perceived supervisory support. Data from 241 bureaucrats (labor inspectors) in the Malaysian Ministry of Human Resources indicated that discretion significantly influences bureaucrats’ willingness to implement and client meaningfulness. Critically, the moderating role of perceived supervisory support augmented only the positive impact of discretion on client meaningfulness; for example, this relationship is more significant among bureaucrats who perceive high supervisory support. This study sheds new light on the notable role of supervisory support in ensuring that discretion enhances client meaningfulness and willingness to implement.

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