Welcome to the special issue on COVID-19. At the time of writing this introduction, the world eagerly awaits the distribution of recently approved vaccines. Given the vast operation involved in immunizing so many people, it will likely take another six months or even a year before our lives return to normal. But what will normal life look like?
The pandemic caused almost global implementation of social distancing policies and practices. In a matter of weeks, people faced an abrupt halt to much of their lives. Six weeks into being locked down, the reality set in that social distancing practices were likely going to continue beyond the initial efforts to slow the spread of the virus. As important as it was to find a vaccine, as social scientists and health practitioners, we became concerned about factors that could have long-term consequences. The combination of living separated from one another for extended periods of time, pursuing implied definitions of “safety” and “care” for self and others, all while essentially experiencing universal fear may alter foundational norms. The interactions between people, families, communities, schools, governments, and the rest of their social environments may never be the same.
As an international and interdisciplinary journal, JHBSE was the appropriate venue to host a special issue on COVID-19, social distancing, and human behavior. The intention was to capture in one place a compilation of studies from around the world examining the experiences and consequences of social distancing on human behavior. The journal published the call for papers in May of 2020 with a deadline for abstracts by the end of June and submission of invited manuscripts by the end of August. The journal received over 80 articles from scholars from around the world. The articles selected represent the shared purpose of documenting what is being learned about social distancing on human behavior now as well as when the world encounters another pandemic in the future. Taken together, the articles examined most areas of life for people and institutions on almost every continent. Education, physical and mental health, economics, communication patterns, the use of social media, the role of religion and spirituality, resiliency, and helping behaviors were emphasized. The role of culture, stress, and support were also examined. Two pervasive themes seemed to run throughout all of the articles. First, people and entire countries were unprepared for the level of disruption to their daily routines. Second, scholars called for resources to reach families and communities to enhance cooperation and functioning during the long periods of social isolation. We hope readers learn from the research on social distancing and implement strategies to enhance the well-being for themselves and others.