東京大学政策評価研究教育センター

CREPEDP-186

Number CREPEDP-186
Publication Date January 2026
Title Correcting COVID-19 Risk Misperceptions via Information Provision
Author Asako Chiba, Kazuya Haganuma, Taisuke Nakata, Thuy Linh Nguyen, and Reo Takaku
Abstract We conducted an information provision experiment in April 2023 in Japan to investigate how different types of information affect people’s subjective assessment of COVID-19 related risks. The majority of respondents overestimate infection and fatality risks. Recent infection-related statistics lower risk perceptions if presented in percentage, but do not lower them if presented in levels. Providing pessimistic outlooks raises risk perceptions. We also find substantial heterogeneity in the response to information provision across various individual characteristics, such as age, gender, education, marital status, health status, COVID-19-related experiences, and vaccination status.
Keywords Pandemic, Risk Communication, Risk Perception
Other information Paper in English (24 pages)