Global Generosity in Times of Crisis: Russian Helping Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic

M. : National Research University Higher School of Economics, 2022.

Mersiyanova I. V., Ivanova N.

Under the general editorship: P. Wiepking, C. Chapman, L. Holmes McHugh

The Report «Russians’ Helping Behavior During the COVID-19 Crisis» was prepared within the framework of the comparative international project «Global Generosity in times of crisis» (https://www.globalgenerosityresearch.com/reports/) led by Professor Pamala Wiepking from the Indiana University in the United States. The goal of the project a comparative research of the pandemic effect on charity and altruistic behavior, in general, in over 20 countries of the world, ranging from South Korea and Australia to Israel and Canada. As part of the Global Project, the Center for Studies of the Nonprofit Sector and Civil Society at the National Research University Higher School of Economics held a sociological survey (August 2020) to understand how Russians’ generosity behaviors manifested and changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data indicated that a variety of helping behaviors was typical for Russians during the pandemic. Overall 98 percent of Russian citizens engaged in some or other form of helping behavior. About three-thirds of Russians (77%) observed social distancing or self-isolation. Over one-third of Russians (39%) helped strangers and another one-third (34%) made charitable donations, every fifth citizen donated goods of foodstuffs to the needy through an organization. According to the data, the pandemic did not make any significant changes in increasing or reducing the number of formal volunteers. However, a new cohort of active volunteers, which can be called «volunteers 2020» has been emerging since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. This cohort includes people aged from 31 to 40 years of age with a relatively high education level, lively online and offline communication and mostly have no critical financial problems.

Keywords: pandemic COVID-19, corona crisis, helping behavior, COVID-19

Publication based on the results of: The Monitoring of the state of civil society (Wave 18) (2023)