The Collective-affirmation in Action: Understanding the Success of Lockdown in India during the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: This study explored the role of collective-affirmation in attracting mass cooperation to motivate people to observe preventive measures during COVID-19. Method: Using a qualitative research design, a heterogeneous sample (N = 32) comprising postgraduate (n = 10) and doctorates (n = 22) was chosen and the data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The interview contents were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: Five themes were generated: perceived psychological distress, pandemic as a serious challenge to the national interest and human existence, the Janata curfew as a positive faith of the government in the abilities of Indians, lockdown as a strong faith of the government in the unshakable support of the Indians and strong affinity and pride of the Indians in their cultural heritage.The novelty, suddenness and incurability of COVID-19 caused a set of perceived psychological distress and danger to individual and collective life. The Janata (public) curfew was perceived as a curfew of the people, by the people and for the people. The lockdown denoted a strong faith of the Indian government in the positive virtues of the Indian people and vice versa. The mass support and adherence to the suggested preventive government measures were facilitated by collective-affirmation in the well-known positive Indian cultural values (e. g., humanism, interdependence, collective pride, compassion, universal brotherhood etc.) to the world. Conclusion: Collective-affirmation inherent in the Indian cultural values catalyzed mass behaviour change in the form of adherence to the essential restrictions and recommendations. Collective-affirmation may have occurred due to the perceived faith of the government in the virtues of the Indians and their perceived administrative capability of the government. A culture-specific collective-affirmation seems to emerge which initiated mass behaviour changes leading to a successful lockdown.