From the first day of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was clear that it was not going to be a mere physical health crisis. In order to control the virus circulation, from one day to the next a gigantic behavioural change was required from the population that touched their essence: their freedom was drastically curtailed and social contacts had to be reduced to a minimum. It was immediately clear that it would also be a psychological-motivational crisis.

For more than two years - and over 90 measuring points - the Motivation Barometer project collected empirical data on the support for measures, the motivational commitment and the psychological well-being of the population.

In this concluding symposium, we looked back at these findings from a helicopter perspective. We wanted to bring together important psychological lessons and discuss them with other disciplines, policy, the media and the wider public (e.g. study participants).