scholarly journals Individual Differences in Social Distancing and Mask-Wearing in the Pandemic of COVID-19: The Role of Need for Cognition, Self-control, and Risk Attitude

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Xu ◽  
Jiuqing Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Risk Attitude ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Psychological Traits ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Epidemiological Information

In the United States, while the number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase, the practice of social distancing and mask-wearing have been controversial and even politicized. The present study examined the role of psychological traits in social distancing compliance and mask-wearing behavior and attitude. A sample of 233 U.S. adult residents were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants completed scales of social distancing compliance, mask-wearing behavior and attitude, need for cognition, self-control, risk attitude, and political ideology. Epidemiological information (seven-day positive rate and the number of cases per 100,000) was obtained based on the state participants resided in. As a result, epidemiological information did not correlate with protective behaviors. Political ideology, on the other hand, was a significant factor, with a more liberal tendency being associated with greater engagement in social distancing compliance and mask-wearing behavior an attitude. Importantly, those who were more risk averse, or had a higher level of self-control or need for cognition practiced more social distancing and mask-wearing, after controlling for demographics, epidemiological information, and political ideology. For mask-wearing behavior, political ideology interacted with both need for cognition and self-control. Collectively, the study revealed the psychological roots of individual differences in social distancing and mask-wearing compliance.

scholarly journals The Influence of Gain-Loss Framing and Its Interaction with Political Ideology on Social Distancing and Mask Wearing Compliance During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Steffen ◽  
Jiuqing Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Political Ideology ◽  
Message Framing ◽  
Risk Attitude ◽  
The United States ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Gain Loss ◽  
Loss Framing ◽  
Gain Loss Framing

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of cases and over half a million deaths in the United States. While health experts urge citizens to adopt preventative measures such as social distancing and wearing a mask, these recommended behaviors are not always followed by the public. To find a way to promote preventative measures, the present study examined the role of gain-loss framing of COVID-19 related messages on social distancing and mask wearing compliance. Moreover, the study also tested potential moderating effects on framing with three individual characteristics: political ideology, subjective numeracy, and risk attitude. A sample of 375 U.S. adult residents were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Each participant read either a gain or loss-framed message related to practicing protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants also completed scales of preventative behaviors, risk attitude, subjective numeracy, political ideology, and other demographic variables. It was found that those who were more liberal, risk-averse and had greater subjective numeracy were more likely to wear a mask and/or follow social distancing. Furthermore, in the presence of demographic and psychological factors, the study found participants in the loss-framed condition than in the gain-framed condition were more likely to adopt both preventative measures, supporting the notion of loss aversion. Additionally, the framing effect was also moderated by political ideology on mask-wearing, with the effect being stronger in liberals than in conservatives. Collectively, the study implies message framing may be a useful means to promote preventative measures in the current pandemic.

Public perceptions of who counts as a scientist for controversial science

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 797-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianne Suldovsky ◽  
Asheley Landrum ◽  
Natalie Jomini Stroud
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Us ◽  
Science Media

In an era where expertise is increasingly critiqued, this study draws from the research on expertise and scientist stereotyping to explore who the public considers to be a scientist in the context of media coverage about climate change and genetically modified organisms. Using survey data from the United States, we find that political ideology and science knowledge affect who the US public believes is a scientist in these domains. Our results suggest important differences in the role of science media attention and science media selection in the publics “scientist” labeling. In addition, we replicate previous work and find that compared to other people who work in science, those with PhDs in Biology and Chemistry are most commonly seen as scientists.

Individual differences in political aggression: The role of social integration, perceived grievances and low self-control

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 603-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lieven J.R. Pauwels ◽  
Vanja Ljujic ◽  
Ann De Buck
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Content Support ◽  
Log Linear ◽  
Low Self Control ◽  
And Function

Several models have been suggested for studying (self-reported) aggression. Less frequently, these theories are empirically applied to explain individual differences in political aggression. The present study examines the role of distal, intermediate and proximate mechanisms in a net-sample of 6020 young adults. Using log-linear structural equation modelling, the independent effects of cumulative social integration, perceived personal and group injustices and low self-control are assessed. It is assumed that these factors contribute to the ‘crystallization of discontent’ by fostering religious authoritarianism, political powerlessness, support for extremist beliefs and online exposure to extremist content. Support for extremist content and online exposure to extremist content are strong predictors, and function as different routes towards political aggression. The results support an integrated approach towards the study of political aggression. Implications for future studies are discussed.

scholarly journals Individual Differences in Testosterone and Self-Control Predict Compulsive Sexual Behavior Proneness in Young Males

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto ◽  
Marieke Dewitte ◽  
Alexander T. Sack ◽  
Teresa Schuhmann
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Sexual Compulsivity ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Sexual Inhibition ◽  
Compulsive Sexual Behavior ◽  
Sexual Excitation ◽  
Psychological Traits ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Testosterone Levels

The ability to control sexual urges and impulses is essential to achieve individual and social harmony. Failing to regulate sexual behavior can lead to the interference with daily life goals, sexual diseases transmission and moral violations, among others. The dual control model of sexual response proposes that an imbalance between sexual excitation and sexual inhibition mechanisms may lead to sexual dysregulation, thereby explaining problematic sexual behavior. Interindividual differences in self-control and testosterone levels are likely to modulate sexual regulation mechanisms, but these individual features have scarcely been studied in the context of compulsive sexual behavior. This study investigated the role of sexual excitation and inhibition, self-control and testosterone levels in predicting individuals’ proneness to display compulsive sexual behavior. Seventy healthy young males provided a saliva sample for testosterone measurements and filled in questionnaires on self-control, sexual excitation, sexual inhibition, sexual compulsivity and sexual behavior. High testosterone levels and low self-control were associated with higher sexual compulsivity scores. Additionally, testosterone levels and sexual inhibition negatively predicted the frequency of sexual behavior with a partner. The results of our study highlight the joint role of psychological traits and testosterone levels in compulsive sexual behavior proneness, providing implications regarding the prevention and treatment of this condition in young males.

scholarly journals Activating Community Resilience: The Emergence of COVID-19 Funds Across the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1119-1128
Author(s):  
Laurie E. Paarlberg ◽  
Megan LePere-Schloop ◽  
Marlene Walk ◽  
Jin Ai ◽  
Yue Ming
Keyword(s):  
Political Ideology ◽  
Organizational Capacity ◽  
Community Resilience ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Resources ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Community Capitals ◽  
Philanthropic Organizations ◽  
Global Threat

This article draws upon concepts of community resilience to explore the antecedents of community philanthropic organizations’ response to COVID-19. Although the pandemic is a global threat, responses have been local. We test a model of community resilience activation in the context of the emergence of local COVID-19 funds. We find that a philanthropic organization’s capacity to act in a crisis and respond to the needs of the community depends on the stock of community capitals and organizational capacity. The importance of economic, cultural, and political factors in predicting the emergence of a fund raises important questions about disparities in resilience along class and race lines and the role of political ideology in shaping perceptions of crises. Our research contributes to our understanding of community philanthropic organizations’ capacity to activate community resources during a crisis.

scholarly journals Affective and Cognitive Orientations in Intergroup Perception

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 828-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas J. Wolf ◽  
Ulrich von Hecker ◽  
Gregory R. Maio
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Intergroup Perception ◽  
Need For Affect ◽  
Cognitive Orientations

Three studies examined the role of need for affect (NFA) and need for cognition (NFC) in intergroup perception. We hypothesized that NFA predicts a preference for stereotypically warm groups over stereotypically cold groups, whereas NFC predicts a preference for stereotypically competent groups over stereotypically incompetent groups. Study 1 supported these hypotheses for attitudes toward stereotypically ambivalent groups, which are stereotyped as high on one of the trait dimensions (e.g., high warmth) and low on the other (e.g., low competence), but not for stereotypically univalent groups, which are seen as high or low on both dimensions. Studies 2 and 3 replicated this pattern for stereotypically ambivalent groups, and yielded provocative evidence regarding several putative mechanisms underlying these associations. Together, these findings help integrate and extend past evidence on attitude-relevant individual differences with research on intergroup perception.

The Effect of Public Social Context on Self-Control

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 384-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liad Uziel ◽  
Roy F. Baumeister
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Impression Management ◽  
Initial Phase ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Simple Task ◽  
The Public ◽  
Control Study

The present study explores the role of personality in moderating the effect of public social context on self-control. The authors predicted that in public settings neuroticism would be associated with ego-depletion effects and individual differences in impression management (IM) would be associated with restoration effects. Three experiments supported the hypothesis. In Study 1 neuroticism was associated with impaired self-control and IM was associated with enhanced self-control following an initial phase of working on a simple task in public (vs. in private). Study 2 replicated and extended these results to other domains of self-control. Study 3 explored whether public social context can cancel out early depletion effects. In this study, depleted participants engaged in a task that required self-control either alone or in public. As expected, the public settings were associated with restored self-control resources mostly among high IM individuals. Implications for self-control, neuroticism, and IM are discussed.

scholarly journals Importance of Maternal Persistence in Young Children's Persistence

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Imafuku ◽  
Atsuko Saito ◽  
Kenchi Hosokawa ◽  
Kazuo Okanoya ◽  
Chihiro Hosoda
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Parenting Style ◽  
Personality Trait ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Maternal Factors ◽  
Social Success ◽  
Genetic And Environmental Factors

Persistence of a distant goal is an important personality trait that determines academic and social success. Recent studies have shown that individual differences in persistence involve both genetic and environmental factors; however, these studies have not examined the role of maternal factors on a young children's persistence. The present study examined whether mothers' persistence is associated with persistence in children aged 3–6 years. In addition, the associations between mothers' persistence/parenting style and children's self-control/social development (prosocial behaviors and difficulties) were examined. Our results showed that maternal persistence is essential for the child's persistence. Children's self-control and social development were also associated with the mothers' persistence and parenting style. Our findings suggest that a young child's persistence may develop under the influence of a familiar adult (i.e., mother) and characterizes their social development, highlighting the importance of persistence in parenting.

scholarly journals Boredom makes it difficult, but it helps to have a plan: Investigating adherence to social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maik Bieleke ◽  
Corinna Martarelli ◽  
Wanja Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Trait Boredom ◽  
T1 And T2 ◽  
Planning Intervention

In the wake of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), social distancing has become important for containing the pandemic and preventing a renewed spread of the virus. We investigated psychological factors that predict adherence to social distancing guidelines. In a two-part longitudinal study (N = 574), we assessed adherence and its difficulty twice, one week apart. At T1, participants either planned to deal with the difficulties of adherence (planning intervention) or not (control condition). We further measured individual differences in planning, self-control, and boredom. T2 adherence was higher in the planning intervention, when participants intended to use plans. Trait planning was associated with higher T1 and T2 adherence and mitigated negative effects of T1 difficulty. Analogous effects emerged for trait self-control at T1. Trait boredom was associated with higher difficulty at T1 and T2 without directly affecting adherence. Our results are relevant for designing effective measures in prolonged responses to COVID-19.

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