Assessing the Causal Link between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Racial Discrimination

In this article, we report the results of a randomized controlled experiment that examines how exposure to information about global pandemic from Asia affects white Americans’ prosocial behavior towards white, black, and Asian Americans. We find when exposed new disease threat Asia, (1) Americans donate significantly less money American recipients than or black recipients, (2) liberals conservatives are equally likely discriminate, (3) significant spike in media attention violence against Asians inhibited discriminatory behavior—at least temporarily. Our allows us rule out alternative explanations for unequal treatment Americans, providing evidence causal link between COVID-19 racial discrimination. The study contributes knowledge spillover effects external threats on race relations has implications public health science communication.