PLoS ONE · 2020 · 157 citations · 25 references
Social SciencesHealth BehaviorImmunologyDisease PreventionHealth PsychologyPsychoneuroimmunologyDisease AvoidanceDisease Prevention StrategiesHealth Risk BehaviorsInfectious Disease PreventionPrevention StrategiesProtective BehaviorBehavioral Immune SystemBehavioral Responses To Pathogen ThreatDisease DisgustDisease TransmissionGerm AversionHealth-promoting BehaviorsPsychological Factors Affecting Medical ConditionsSocial Distancing Behavior
COVID‑19 poses a serious global health threat, and in the absence of a vaccine, behavior change is the most effective way to reduce transmission; the behavioral immune system (BIS) is a set of psychological processes that promote disease avoidance. Identifying psychological factors that encourage engagement in preventative health behaviors is crucial, and this study examined whether individual differences in BIS reactivity (germ aversion, pathogen disgust sensitivity) were associated with concern about COVID‑19 and engagement in recommended preventative health behaviors. From March 20 to 23, 2020, a US national sample of 1,019 participants completed an online survey. Germ aversion and pathogen disgust sensitivity were the two variables most consistently associated with COVID‑19 concern and preventative health behaviors, even after accounting for demographic, health, and psychosocial covariates, and these findings have implications for interventions to increase preventative health behaviors.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a serious global health threat. Without a vaccine, behavior change is the most effective means of reducing disease transmission. Identifying psychological factors that may encourage engagement in preventative health behaviors is crucial. The behavioral immune system (BIS) represents a set of psychological processes thought to promote health by encouraging disease avoidance behaviors. This study examined whether individual differences in BIS reactivity (germ aversion, pathogen disgust sensitivity) were associated with concern about COVID-19 and engagement in recommended preventative health behaviors (social distancing, handwashing, cleaning/disinfecting, avoiding touching face, wearing facemasks). From March 20 to 23, 2020, a US national sample (N = 1019) completed an online survey. Germ aversion and pathogen disgust sensitivity were the two variables most consistently associated with COVID-19 concern and preventative health behaviors, while accounting for demographic, health, and psychosocial covariates. Findings have implications for the development of interventions intended to increase preventative health behaviors.
25