Kadoya Lab’s COVID-19 Research Outputs

Kadoya lab（together with HiHER）has actively engaged in COVID-19 related research (including the past ones that can be applied to the current situations). This page lists these research outputs.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policies

Overall population

The worldwide COVID-19 vaccination program is already underway, raising hopes and aspirations to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that halted economic and social activities. However, the issue of vaccine effectiveness and its side-effects is influencing the potential acceptance of vaccines. In this uncertain situation, we deployed a nationwide survey in Japan, following the Japanese government’s initial phase of COVID-19 vaccination.

Younger population

Japan has vaccinated its older population; a mass vaccination program for younger citizens is underway. Accordingly, this study investigated vaccine hesitancy among younger Japanese citizens.

Booster Vaccination

The younger generation’s hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine in Japan received significant attention during the early stages of vaccination. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive study in Japan that analyzes the apprehension towards the third dose of vaccine, commonly known as the booster dose, and its underlying causes. Using data from an online panel survey, Kadoya Lab examined the severity of booster dose aversion among youths of different ages.

Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Overall generation (young and elderly)

The precautionary measures and uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have serious psychological impacts on peoples’ mental health. We conducted longitudinal survey to investigate loneliness before and during the pandemic among older and younger people in Japan.

Sub-simple analysis by age and gender

Kadoya lab further conducted the subsample analyses of age and gender to uncover the factors that cause people’s loneliness.

Longitudinal Study

The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing socioeconomic and health risk factors and added additional dimensions to the loneliness problem. Considering the temporal extension of COVID-19, which exposes people to various loneliness conditions, Kadoya lab examined the development of loneliness and changing risk factors based on age and gender.

Smartphone influences

The influence of smartphone use on increased risk of feeling lonely has been recognized as a global public health concern. However, it is unclear whether this influence has changed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, during which smartphones have become a particularly important means of communication due to health safety measures restricting personal interactions. Kadoya lab assessed the impact of smartphone use on loneliness in Japan.

Smartphone influences (post-pandemic era)

Kadoya lab collected new data in the “post-pandemic” era of February 2023 to test the research hypothesis above. Our findings revealed that, in 2023, smartphone use increased the risk of loneliness among individuals aged 50–64 years. Conversely, among the younger generations, increased smartphone use was associated with decreased loneliness. The results of our study suggest that smartphones can serve as a significant tool for alleviating loneliness among the younger generations during the post-pandemic period.

As the cover paper of “Behavioral Sciences.” (April, 2024)

Pandemic Fatigue

Overall Measures

Analyzing nationwide panel data for 2021 and 2022 waves in Japan, Kadoya lab found that the people’s degree of pandemic fatigue was varied by gender (males tend to dislike the pandemic measures more) and other socio-economic statuses.

Hand Sanitization Behavior

Kadoya lab analyzed how people’s time discounting and hyperbolic discounting affect the hand sanitization behaviors. We argue that one-size-fits-all policies may not solve the impulsivity associated with hand-sanitization behavior in Japan because the impulsivity problem is not commonly found among all respondents. Policymakers should consider underlying gender differences when designing future health-promoting measures.

Economic Measures against the COVID-19 Pandemic

One-time cash payment of JPY 100,000

In order to curb the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on households, the Japanese government distributed a one-time cash payment of JPY 100,000 to every registered resident at the beginning of the pandemic. Conducting a nationwide satisfaction survey with this stimulus policy, Kadoya lab found that those who were male, older, had a higher education level, and had anxiety about the future were less likely to be satisfied with this policy. Having a spouse, being a public official, and having higher household assets or better subjective health enhanced satisfaction with the policy.

The subsample analyses showed heterogeneity in satisfaction among various socioeconomic groups and in associations between their socioeconomic characteristics and policy satisfaction. The government should design future policies with due consideration of the challenges faced by various socioeconomic groups.

Premium shopping coupon

The unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 has triggered a worldwide economic recession. Consequently, governments are pursuing different stimulus packages to alleviate the resulting pressures. We examined one such program intended to enhance consumer spending during an economic downturn. In 2015, the Japanese government implemented a discount shopping coupon scheme, offering a 20% discount on purchases. We aimed to identify the groups of consumers who responded most to the discount shopping coupon scheme.

with COVID-19 era: Health and Productivity Management

Manufacturing industry

Employee productivity is a well-studied area, which has been explained in various dimensions. However, there is insufficient research on how workers’ on-job emotional status relates to productivity. We examined the relationship between workers’ emotional states and productivity by assessing on-job emotionality recorded using a specially designed wearable biometric device.

Traffic Industry

Drivers’ emotions significantly affect their driving performance and thus are related to driving safety issues. The objective of our study is to examine how taxi drivers’ on-duty emotional states are associated with their driving speed in real driving situations.

Increasing Financial Crimes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Japan has seen an increase in the incidents of financial frauds over the last couple of decades. Although authorities are aware of the problem, an effective solution eludes them as fraudsters use innovative swindling methods and continually change the target group.

Pre-Pandemic Period

Using our nationwide Japanese survey in 2020, we investigated the socioeconomic and psychological profiles of victims of trending and special financial fraud such as fictitious billing fraud, loan guarantee fraud, and refund fraud.

Pandemic Period

During the pandemic, refund frauds for men have increased, while loan guarantee frauds for women have decreased significantly. Overall, younger males with a decent economic status tend to be victims during the pandemic, but the results were varied by the type of the frauds.

Addiction measures during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Gambling Addiction

Smoking Addiction

Alcohol Addiction

Risk Avoiding Behavior (Exercise habit and health check behavior)

Impulsivity

Family Care-Giving during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Panic selling on “COVID-19 Market Crisis”

In March 2020, investors experienced a sharp market decline called the “COVID-19 Market Crisis.” In collaboration with a security company, Kadoya Lab investigated the phenomenon and found that investors’ hyperbolic discounting can cause panic selling.