scholarly journals The Role of Perceived Susceptibility and Collectivist Values in Support for Using Social Distancing to Prevent COVID-19 in the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. 263207702110154
Author(s):  
Xiao Wang

The present investigation examined the factors that were related to U.S. residents’ support for social distancing measures (i.e., stay-at-home) that can help prevent COVID-19 infections and save lives. Relying on a survey of 387 U.S.-based participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), conducted in May 2020, the results revealed that perceived susceptibility and collectivist cultural values predicted their support for social distancing, both directly and indirectly. The total effect sizes were moderate and strong, respectively. In addition, instrumental attitudes were a stronger predictor of the participants’ support for social distancing than experiential attitudes and perceived behavioral control. The results contribute to the understanding of how risk perceptions, collectivist values, and various attitudes are related to an important preventive behavior (i.e., social distancing) during a pandemic. It should be acknowledged that the concept of social distancing evolved throughout the pandemic in the United States.

Addiction ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 115 (5) ◽  
pp. 935-943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren R. Pacek ◽  
Andrea H. Weinberger ◽  
Jiaqi Zhu ◽  
Renee D. Goodwin

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254127
Author(s):  
Sara Kazemian ◽  
Sam Fuller ◽  
Carlos Algara

Pundits and academics across disciplines note that the human toll brought forth by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States (U.S.) is fundamentally unequal for communities of color. Standing literature on public health posits that one of the chief predictors of racial disparity in health outcomes is a lack of institutional trust among minority communities. Furthermore, in our own county-level analysis from the U.S., we find that counties with higher percentages of Black and Hispanic residents have had vastly higher cumulative deaths from COVID-19. In light of this standing literature and our own analysis, it is critical to better understand how to mitigate or prevent these unequal outcomes for any future pandemic or public health emergency. Therefore, we assess the claim that raising institutional trust, primarily scientific trust, is key to mitigating these racial inequities. Leveraging a new, pre-pandemic measure of scientific trust, we find that trust in science, unlike trust in politicians or the media, significantly raises support for COVID-19 social distancing policies across racial lines. Our findings suggest that increasing scientific trust is essential to garnering support for public health policies that lessen the severity of the current, and potentially a future, pandemic.


Focaal ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (46) ◽  
pp. 67-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya Ponte

Throughout the debate in the United States Congress over whether vaccines cause autism, legitimizing symbols that index cultural values have played a prominent role in the establishment of credibility. While both sides sanctify the role of science in producing credibility, they draw on different images of what science is and where its legitimacy stems from. Those who favor the vaccine hypothesis frame science as a populist endeavor, the results of which are open to critique by all. Those against the vaccine hypothesis frame science as an elitist endeavor, the results of which may only be critiqued by fellow scientists. While both of these images derive their significance from the cultural history of the United States, they have a markedly different impact on the interpretation of evidence. From within the populist frame, personal experience and direct observation are highly valued. From within the elitist frame, epidemiological evidence trumps personal experience. Due to the incorporation of dueling images of science, the US debate over autism may be viewed as a debate between rival cultural values.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-73
Author(s):  
SUZANNE SMITH ◽  
SEDRAK SEDRAKYAN

From a behavioral perspective, culture is the full range of learned human behavior patterns (Samadi&McConkey, 2011). Considering this definition, ABA in itself has its own culture (Miller, 2006). However, minimal research has been conducted specifically on the role of immigrant families and providing culturally sensitive ABA based parent training. Behavior analytic principles and interventions originated in the United States, and seem more efficiently applied to the mainstream cultural values in the United States (Samadi&McConkey, 2011).


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 689-702
Author(s):  
Jennifer D Roberts ◽  
Katherine L Dickinson ◽  
Elizabeth Koebele ◽  
Lindsay Neuberger ◽  
Natalie Banacos ◽  
...  

In Spring/Summer 2020, most individuals living in the United States experienced several months of social distancing and stay-at-home orders because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Clinicians, restaurant cooks, cashiers, transit operators, and other essential workers (EWs), however, continued to work outside the home during this time in order to keep others alive and maintain a functioning society. In the United States, EWs are often low-income persons of color who are more likely to face socioeconomic vulnerabilities, systemic racism, and health inequities. To assess the various impacts of COVID-19 on EWs, an online survey was distributed to a representative sample of individuals residing in six states during May/June 2020. The sample included 990 individuals who identified as EWs and 736 nonessential workers (NWs). We assessed differences between EW and NW respondents according to three categories related to health equity and social determinants of health: (1) demographics (e.g. race/ethnicity); (2) COVID-19 exposure risk pathways (e.g. ability to social distance); and (3) COVID-19 risk perceptions (e.g. perceived risk of contracting COVID-19). EWs were more likely to be Black or Hispanic than NWs and also had lower incomes and education levels on average. Unsurprisingly, EWs were substantially more likely to report working outside the home and less likely to report social distancing and wearing masks indoors as compared to NWs. EWs also perceived a slightly greater risk of contracting COVID-19. These findings, which we discuss in the context of persistent structural inequalities, systemic racism, and health inequities within the United States, highlight ways in which COVID-19 exacerbates existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities faced by EWs.


Author(s):  
Alexa C. Hansen ◽  
Charlotte V. Farewell ◽  
Jennifer S. Jewell ◽  
Jenn A. Leiferman

Abstract Objective: Through the application of the Health Belief Model, this study sought to explore how relationships between perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits of social distancing recommendations, as well as psychological factors, may impact compliance with COVID-19 social distancing recommendations in the United States. Methods: Between October and November 2020, a convenience sample of English-speaking adults in the United States completed an online, cross-sectional survey which included items assessing beliefs around threats (e.g., perceived susceptibility and severity), response efficacy, (e.g., perceived benefits), psychological factors (e.g., stress and COVID-specific anxiety), and compliance with social distancing measures (e.g., avoiding social gatherings). Results: Social distancing compliance was positively associated with perceived susceptibility of COVID-19 (b =.42, p < .05) and perceived benefits of social distancing recommendations (b = .81, p < .01). No significant associations were found between perceived severity of COVID-19 (p = .38), general stress (p = .28), COVID-19-related anxiety (p = .12) and compliance. Conclusions: Findings suggest that perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 and perceived benefits of social distancing measures significantly increased compliance with social distancing recommendations in this convenience sample of U.S. adults.


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smita C. Banerjee ◽  
Kathryn Greene ◽  
Marina Krcmar ◽  
Zhanna Bagdasarov ◽  
Dovile Ruginyte

This study demonstrates the significance of individual difference factors, particularly gender and sensation seeking, in predicting media choice (examined through hypothetical descriptions of films that participants anticipated they would view). This study used a 2 (Positive mood/negative mood) × 2 (High arousal/low arousal) within-subject design with 544 undergraduate students recruited from a large northeastern university in the United States. Results showed that happy films and high arousal films were preferred over sad films and low-arousal films, respectively. In terms of gender differences, female viewers reported a greater preference than male viewers for happy-mood films. Also, male viewers reported a greater preference for high-arousal films compared to female viewers, and female viewers reported a greater preference for low-arousal films compared to male viewers. Finally, high sensation seekers reported a preference for high-arousal films. Implications for research design and importance of exploring media characteristics are discussed.


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