  This paper studies whether and how differently projected information about
the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic affects individuals' prosocial behavior and
expectations on future outcomes. We conducted an online experiment with British
participants (N=961) when the UK introduced its first lockdown and the outbreak
was on its growing stage. Participants were primed with either the
environmental or economic consequences (i.e., negative primes), or the
environmental or economic benefits (i.e., positive primes) of the pandemic, or
with neutral information. We measured priming effects on an incentivized
take-and-give dictator game and on participants' expectations about future
environmental quality and economic growth. Our results show that primes affect
participants' expectations, but not their prosociality. In particular,
participants primed with environmental consequences hold a more pessimistic
view on future environmental quality, while those primed with economic benefits
are more optimistic about future economic growth. Instead, the positive
environmental prime and the negative economic prime do not influence
expectations. Our results offer insights into how information affects behavior
and expectations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
