it looks like giving a damn about others can help more people keep healthy. whether it’s wearing a mask or maintaining physical distances, both actions are easier to do when one feels empathy for people other than ourselves. in a new study published in psychological science , danish researchers conducted surveys in german, british, and american populations and found the more empathetic a person, the more likely they’ll follow public health guidelines.
researchers tested participants’ willingness to physical distance and their empathy levels in two questionnaire-based studies. participants were asked on a scale from one to five how concerned they were about people most vulnerable to the coronavirus . they were also asked about their mask-wearing habits and the extent to which they avoid social contact. researchers found the higher the empathy, the more willing they were to reduce social contact.
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“if you want to get more people on board, it’s crucial to know what mechanisms make them keep a distance and wear a face mask,” says lead author stefan pfattheicher, associate professor at the department of psychology and behavioural sciences at aarhus bss in aarhus university, in an interview on his university’s website .
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“our clear recommendation is that policy makers incorporate this knowledge about the emotional impact in their communication initiatives,” says co-author michael bang petersen, a professor at the department of political science, in an interview . he gives the example of denmark’s recently launched “distancing badges,” which the danish government has provided in pharmacies for vulnerable citizens to wear.
some believe differences between eastern and western societal values has affected the spread of covid-19. the globe and mail reports:
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the u.s., meanwhile, has a uniquely stubborn sense of self-reliance, to the point where it is endangering the vulnerable. in the atlantic, meghan o’rourke writes:
however, it’s possible that after this pandemic, the u.s. may be less individualistic. cultural psychology research has shown that societies with higher pathogen exposure are more likely to shift to collectivist values. a 2008 paper published in the proceedings of the royal society found that countries with a higher infectious disease prevalence significantly tended to adopt collectivist values.
dduong@postmedia.com
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