Collective Rituals in Times of the COVID-19 Quarantine: The Relationship between Collective Applause and Identity Fusion

Abstract

Several initiatives are arising to counterbalance the consequences of psychical distance, motivated by COVID-19, by reinforcing social ties. In this project, we focus on analyzing the relationships between participating in collective applause (i.e., a collective ritual), reinforcement of collective/relational ties, identity fusion, and compliance with quarantine norms. We carried out a study during the COVID-19 quarantine (N = 568) with people who were legally obliged to stay home. Our results indicate that participating in collective rituals relates to collective and relational ties with in-group members. This, in turn, is associated with the strength of identity fusion and the perception that other in-group members comply with quarantine norms. Thus, under the influence of a common fate that invariably threatens the lives of a large part of the population, participating in collective rituals positively relates to an increase in the sense of belonging and common identity.