Trust in the state and citizen cooperation: evidence from Pakistan

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are conducting a randomized controlled trial in Pakistan. We aim to test the effectiveness of different information treatments designed to increase citizens’ trust in the government, specifically the government’s response to the pandemic. The information treatments emphasize either past state effectiveness in addressing a public health emergency or the importance of citizen cooperation in enabling the successful handling of a past public health crisis, or appeal to religious authority. Moreover, by tracking citizens’ intentions, beliefs, perceived norms and self-reported behaviors over time, we aim to better understand the role played by trust in government and state institutions in the emergence of citizens’ cooperation with the state.