scholarly journals Trust in Science, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease, and Adherence to Pharmacological and Non-pharmacological COVID-19 Recommendations

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Hromatko ◽  
Mirjana Tonković ◽  
Andrea Vranic
Keyword(s):  
Threat Appraisal ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Response Efficacy ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Personal Risk ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Behavioral Avoidance ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability To Disease ◽  
Second Wave

Protection motivation theory (PMT) is a theoretical framework informative for understanding behavioral intentions and choices during exceptional and uncommon circumstances, such as a pandemic of respiratory infectious disease. PMT postulates both the threat appraisal and the coping appraisal as predictors of health behaviors. Recent advances in the field of behavioral immune system (BIS) research suggest that humans are equipped with a set of psychological adaptations enabling them to detect the disease-threat and activate behavioral avoidance of pathogens. The present study, set within PMT framework and informed by the BIS research, aimed to explain and predict voluntary adherence to COVID-19 guidelines by perceived personal risk and vulnerability to disease as threat appraisal variables, and trust in science as the response efficacy element of coping appraisal. Gender, age, belief in the second wave, perceived personal risk, germ aversion, and trust in science were all found to be significant positive predictors of the intent to adhere to non-pharmacological COVID-19 recommendations, with the belief in the second wave, germ aversion, and trust in science being the most important ones. On the other hand, only the belief in the second wave and trust in science were significant positive predictors of the intent to adhere to pharmacological COVID-19 recommendations (i.e., to vaccinate). Interventions aimed at enhancing preventative measures adherence should take into account that the psychological mechanisms underlying adherence to these two types of recommendations are not identical.

UNPUBLISHED, REJECTED MANUSCRIPT NOT TO BE RESUBMITTED: Infection and ideology- Perceived vulnerability to disease predicts political conservatism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A Vitriol
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
The Political ◽  
World Values Survey ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
The World ◽  
Political Conservatism ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability To Disease ◽  
Political Right

Recent research on the behavioral immune system suggests that perceived vulnerability to disease is associated with greater ingroup preference, conformity, and support for established cultural practices. However, little of this research has looked at the implications of perceived vulnerability to disease for an orientation linked to many of the above outcomes: ideology. In two studies, we test the hypothesis that perceived vulnerability to disease should be associated with greater political conservatism. In Study 1, we find a relationship between perceived vulnerability to disease and increases in conservatism over time. In Study 2, we use data from the World Values Survey to demonstrate that perceived vulnerability to disease predicts a stronger preference for the political right in a large sample of respondents from a wide variety of nations. Together, these results suggest that the consequences of the behavioral immune system may extend to abstract identifications like ideology.

scholarly journals The Role of Age and Gender in Perceived Vulnerability to Infectious Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia Díaz ◽  
Ángela Beleña ◽  
Jesús Zueco
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Biological Immune System ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability To Disease ◽  
System Variables

Background: The study of the immune system has been approached using two separate paths, the biological immune system and the behavioral immune system. Recently, Gangestad and Grebe proposed a unique integrated compensatory immune system, where both systems work together and one of them could compensate for the other when necessary. However, few studies have confirmed the existence of this integrated compensatory immune system. Our study represents an attempt to explore the existence of this unique immune system, investigating if the behavioral immune system variables increase when the biological immune system weakens with age. Material and Methods. The cross-sectional design study was made up of a final sample of 1108 participants (45.2% men and 54.2 women) aged 18–64 years. The younger group (18–21 years) was made up of students, whilst the older groups (22 to 64 years) were composed by their relatives and acquaintances, following the snow ball process. The participants completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire that assesses perceived infectability and germ aversion. Correlations, analyses of variance (ANOVAs), and independent group comparisons were performed. These analyses showed the relationships between the variables studied, the effects of age and gender in perceived infectability and germ aversion, and the differences that perceived infectability and germ aversion presented in different age-groups separated by gender. Results: A pattern emerged where germ aversion increases as both men and women get older, but perceived infectability decreases up to the age of 50, and then it increases in women from that age onward. Gender differences are only significant in younger participants, with women having higher scores than men in both variables. Conclusion: The results partially support the existence of a unique integrated compensatory biological/behavioral immune system.

scholarly journals Behavioral Immune System Responses to Coronavirus: A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Explanation of Conformity, Warmth Toward Others and Attitudes Toward Lockdown

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison M. Bacon ◽  
Philip J. Corr
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Sensitivity Theory ◽  
Reinforcement Sensitivity ◽  
Approach Behaviors ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability To Disease

Behavioral immune system (BIS) describes psychological mechanisms that detect cues to infectious pathogens in the immediate environment, trigger disease-relevant responses and facilitate behavioral avoidance/escape. BIS activation elicits a perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD) which can result in conformity with social norms. However, a response to superficial cues can result in aversive responses to people that pose no actual threat, leading to an aversion to unfamiliar others, and likelihood of prejudice. Pathogen-neutralizing behaviors, therefore, have implications for social interaction as well as illness behaviors and responses to health communications. In this study, we investigate how PVD influences conformity, attitudes to other people and to lockdown regulations through the lens of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST). RST describes personality in terms of biologically-driven approach and avoidance motivations which support personal goals. Participants from the United Kingdom public (N = 605) completed an RST personality questionnaire and then read either (a) coronavirus morbidity-mortality statistics and current United Kingdom government lifestyle regulations, (b) just the regulations (as presented in most government publicity materials), or (c) no information at all. They all completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease scale to assess BIS-relevant Germ Aversion and Perceived Infectability, followed by questions measuring social conformity, warmth toward others and attitudes toward lockdown measures. Significantly lower PVD scores were observed in the no-information condition, with the other conditions showing no difference. In terms of RST, approach behaviors related to goal-drive persistence work alongside fear in explaining conformity to social norms. Reward related approach behaviors partially explained warmth toward others, indicating that social rewards gained through interaction continue to be strong drivers of behavior. We found no role for RST traits in attitudes toward lockdown. Overall, coronavirus-related behavior is not driven purely by fear, but also by social and/or protection goals regulated by approach motivation. This study presents new insights into public perceptions of coronavirus and government regulated lifestyle restrictions, helping to explain social behaviors in terms of biologically driven mechanisms. Such understanding is vital if we are to successfully motivate public behavior to constrain spread of the virus.

scholarly journals Testing the Disgust-Based Mechanism of Homonegative Attitudes in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Szymkow ◽  
Natalia Frankowska ◽  
Katarzyna Galasinska
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Functional Flexibility ◽  
Sexual Disgust ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability To Disease

Negative attitudes and stigmatization can originate from the perception of a disease-related threat. Following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is often suggested that incidents of discriminatory behavior are the result of defense mechanisms aimed at avoiding pathogens. According to the behavioral immune system theory, people are motivated to distance themselves from individuals who show signs of infection, or who are only heuristically associated with a disease, primarily because of the disgust they evoke. In this paper we focus on negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians who are among social groups that have been persistently framed as “unclean.” In our correlational study (N = 500 heterosexual participants; Polish sample data collected during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Poland, in March/April 2020) we tested moderation models derived from the behavioral immune system theory. Specifically, we investigated whether perceived vulnerability to disease and perceived threat of contracting COVID-19 moderate the relation between disgust and homonegativity. We found that sexual disgust (but not pathogen nor moral disgust) predicted homonegative attitudes. This effect was stronger for participants expressing higher levels of perceived vulnerability to disease but was not dependent on the perception of the COVID-19 threat. The results reaffirm previous evidence indicating a pivotal role of disgust in disease-avoidance mechanisms. They also point to functional flexibility of the behavioral immune system by demonstrating the moderating role of perceived vulnerability to disease in shaping homonegative attitudes. Finally, they show that the threat of COVID-19 does not strengthen the relationship between disgust and homonegativity.

scholarly journals Behavioral immune system linked to responses to the threat of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Makhanova ◽  
Melissa A. Shepherd
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Grocery Shopping ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability To Disease ◽  
Pathogen Avoidance ◽  
Big 5 Personality

People possess psychological processes that help them avoid pathogens, which is particularly important when novel infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19) spread through the population. Across two studies we examined whether trait pathogen avoidance (operationalized as perceived vulnerability to disease; PVD) was linked with responses to COVID-19 and preventative behaviors. In Study 1, PVD was positively associated with stronger reactions to the threat of COVID-19, including increased anxiety, perceptions that people should alter their typical behavior, as well as reported importance of engaging in proactive and social distancing behaviors. In Study 2, PVD was again associated with increased anxiety, as well as more vigilant behavior when grocery shopping, fewer trips to the store, and fewer face-to-face interactions. These associations remained significant when controlling for the Big-5 personality traits. Although the two subscales of PVD (germ aversion and perceived infectability) were often parallel predictors, several differences between the subscales emerged. Germ aversion may be more associated with behaviors whereas perceived infectability with vigilance.

scholarly journals Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Predicts Restrictive Policy Supports in Response to the 2019-nCoV Outbreak

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin X. Goh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
The United States ◽  
Immigration Policies ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Behavioral Avoidance ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability To Disease ◽  
Interpersonal Level ◽  
Disease Questionnaire ◽  
Restrictive Policy

Diseases threaten human survival. As such, humans engage in behavioral avoidance to prevent contact with potential carriers of pathogens, such as reduced sociability at the interpersonal level and endorsement of strict immigration policies at the intergroup level. This research examines chronic concerns about infectious diseases (using the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease questionnaire) and travel ban supports in response to the 2019-nCoV outbreak in January 2020. Two studies were conducted in the United States (Study 1; N = 241) and Singapore (Study 2; N = 138). For Americans who scored higher on the Perceived Infectability subscale, they were more likely to endorse travel bans on people coming from China and all of Asia. For Singaporeans who reported greater Germ Aversion, they were more supportive of travel bans on people from both China and their Malaysian neighbor. Saliency of the outbreak may account for differences in subscale predictors between Americans and Singaporeans.

scholarly journals Examining Protection Motivation and Network Externality Perspective Regarding the Continued Intention to Use M-Health Apps

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5684
Author(s):  
Yumei Luo ◽  
Guiping Wang ◽  
Yuwei Li ◽  
Qiongwei Ye
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Network Externalities ◽  
Network Externality ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Protection Motivation ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Response Efficacy ◽  
Health Apps ◽  
Direct Network

M-health apps have developed rapidly and are widely accepted, but users’ continued intention to use m-health apps has not been fully explored. This study was designed to obtain a better understanding of users’ continued intention to use m-health apps. We developed a theoretical model by incorporating the protection motivation theory and network externalities and conducted an empirical study of a 368-respondent sample. The results showed that: (1) perceived vulnerability has a direct impact on users’ self-efficacy and response efficacy; (2) self-efficacy and response efficacy have a direct impact on users’ attitudes and continued intention; (3) network externalities affect users’ attitudes and continued intention, among which direct network externalities have an indirect impact on users’ continued intention through attitude; and (4) the impacts of self-efficacy, response efficacy, and indirect network externalities on continued intention are partially meditated by attitudes.

scholarly journals The Behavioral Immune System Shapes Political Intuitions: Why and How Individual Differences in Disgust Sensitivity Underlie Opposition to Immigration

2017 ◽  
Vol 111 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
LENE AARØE ◽  
MICHAEL BANG PETERSEN ◽  
KEVIN ARCENEAUX
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Emotional Processing ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
First Time ◽  
Representative Samples

We present, test, and extend a theoretical framework that connects disgust, a powerful basic human emotion, to political attitudes through psychological mechanisms designed to protect humans from disease. These mechanisms work outside of conscious awareness, and in modern environments, they can motivate individuals to avoid intergroup contact by opposing immigration. We report a meta-analysis of previous tests in the psychological sciences and conduct, for the first time, a series of tests in nationally representative samples collected in the United States and Denmark that integrate the role of disgust and the behavioral immune system into established models of emotional processing and political attitude formation. In doing so, we offer an explanation for why peaceful integration and interaction between ethnic majority and minorities is so hard to achieve.

scholarly journals Developing a measure of information seeking about phishing

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma J Williams ◽  
Adam N Joinson
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Sensitive Information ◽  
User Intention ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Discrimination Ability ◽  
Response Efficacy ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Survey Measure

Abstract Phishing e-mails are fraudulent e-mails used to gain access to sensitive information or secure computer systems. They persuade users to click on malicious links, download attachments or provide sensitive information, such as usernames or passwords. One approach that aims to reduce people’s susceptibility to phishing is the provision of information to users regarding the phishing threat and the techniques used within phishing e-mails. In line with this, awareness campaigns are often used within organizations and wider society to raise awareness of phishing and encourage people to engage with protective information. However, the potential effectiveness of such approaches in reducing susceptibility remains uncertain. In particular, there is a lack of research investigating (i) whether the propensity to access such information may in itself influence susceptibility to phishing and (ii) the different factors that motivate people to engage with information in the first place. In order to understand how current and future interventions regarding phishing may be consumed by users, as well as their potential impact on phishing susceptibility, it is important to conduct theoretically based research that provides a foundation to investigate these issues. This study provides a first step in addressing this by developing and validating a theoretically based survey measure across two studies centred upon the constructs of protection motivation theory (perceived vulnerability, severity, self-efficacy and response efficacy) to assess the factors that influence whether people choose to keep up to date with protective information about phishing. This survey measure is then used within Study 2 to provide an initial investigation of the role of these constructs in (i) self-reported user intentions to keep up to date with phishing techniques in the future and (ii) phishing discrimination ability, assessed using a phishing quiz. Overall, higher perceived threat severity, self-efficacy and response efficacy were associated with greater intentions, while greater perceived vulnerability was associated with lower intentions. No relationship was found with phishing discrimination ability. By understanding the factors that influence user intention to maintain knowledge and seek information about phishing threats, it will be possible to ensure that, as effective interventions are developed, their potential impact can be maximized.

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