@TechReport{iza:izadps:dp14229,
            	author={Ajzenman, Nicolas and Cavalcanti, Tiago and Mata, Daniel Da},
            	title={More than Words: Leaders' Speech and Risky Behavior During a Pandemic},
            	year={2021},
	month={Mar},
            	institution={Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)},
            	address={Bonn},
            	type={IZA Discussion Paper},
            	number={14229},
            	url={https://www.iza.org/publications/dp14229},
	abstract={This paper investigates if the anti-scientific rhetoric of modern populists can induce followers to engage in risky behavior. We gather electoral information, in-person card transactions, and geo-localized mobile phone data for approximately 60 million devices in Brazil. After the president publicly dismissed the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic and challenged scientific community recommendations, social distancing in pro-government localities declined. Consistently, general in-person transactions increased immediately, while expenses in pharmacies and cases grew with a six-day lag. Results are driven by localities with higher media penetration levels, active Twitter accounts, and a larger proportion of Evangelical Christians, a critical electoral group.},
	keywords={risky behavior;leadership;persuasion;populism;health;COVID-19},
            }