Even as the United States has largely hunkered down, heeding the guidance of health experts and the directives of state leaders, some powerful people in Washington DC have defied preventative measures aimed at curbing the spread. Their business-as-usual actions are at odds with the restrictions everyday Americans find themselves under, and with the government’s own messaging.

Some human behavior experts say the “do as I say, not as I do”′ ethos seemingly on display is common among powerful officials, who may be inclined to think they don’t have to follow rules for the general public in the same way or who can easily dissociate their own actions from what they say is best for others.

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