biostudies-literatureYang LDOD | US Army | RDECOM | Army Research OfficeDOD | US Army | RDECOM | Army Research Office (ARO)National Science Foundation (NSF)National Science Foundatione2213525119https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9565043biostudies-literatureUnknown119(41)Behavioral responses influence the trajectories of epidemics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) reduced pathogen transmission and mortality worldwide. However, despite the global pandemic threat, there was substantial cross-country variation in the adoption of protective behaviors that is not explained by disease prevalence alone. In particular, many countries show a pattern of slow initial mask adoption followed by sharp transitions to high acceptance rates. These patterns are characteristic of behaviors that depend on social norms or peer influence. We develop a game-theoretic model of mask wearing where the utility of wearing a mask depends on the perceived risk of infection, social norms, and mandates from formal institutions. In this model, increasinProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaSociocultural determinants of global mask-wearing behavior.PMC9565043RAPID Grant No. 2142997CNS-2041952CNS-2027908RAPID grant SES-DRMS 2030800CCF1917819W911NF-18-1-0325GEO-1211972Constantino SMYang LGrenfell BTWeber EUVasconcelos VVLevin SAfalseSociocultural determinants of global mask-wearing behavior.Behavioral responses influence the trajectories of epidemics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) reduced pathogen transmission and mortality worldwide. However, despite the global pandemic threat, there was substantial cross-country variation in the adoption of protective behaviors that is not explained by disease prevalence alone. In particular, many countries show a pattern of slow initial mask adoption followed by sharp transitions to high acceptance rates. These patterns are characteristic of behaviors that depend on social norms or peer influence. We develop a game-theoretic model of mask wearing where the utility of wearing a mask depends on the perceived risk of infection, social norms, and mandates from formal institutions. In this model, increasin2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Oct2025-04-04T23:01:47.379Z2025-04-04T23:01:47.379ZS-EPMC95650433619122210.1073/pnas.2213525119