Employment type and policy compliance with strict measures during public health crises: evidence from self-employed workers in China

Employment type is closely associated with policy compliance during public health crises. Challenging the common view that self-employed individuals are less compliant due to weak institutional constraints, this study finds they are more willing to comply. Motivation theory helps explain this pattern: normative pressures and external cues may heighten their sense of responsibility, driving normative compliance. While income instability, limited social protection, and regulatory uncertainty amplify risk awareness, driving calculative compliance. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that low-income self-employed individuals, driven by heightened risk perception and limited resilience, are more likely to comply with policies. Those in digitally advanced regions also exhibit higher compliance, possibly due to more efficient access to information, stronger industry governance, and more effective government oversight. This study contributes to a theoretical understanding of how employment type influences policy behavior, highlighting the distinct constraints and motivational foundations for policy implementation.