Does mental state or emotion prevent COVID-19 from spreading?
Does mental state or emotion prevent COVID-19 from spreading?
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Mental state and emotion cannot prevent COVID-19 from spreading. The use of face coverings, physical distancing and hand washing are recommended guidelines by WHO and US CDC health officials to reduce the spread of the SAR-CoV-2 virus. A recent study by researchers at Aarhus University found that people who are empathetic towards those who may be more vulnerable to the infection tend to wear face masks and maintain physical distancing more often. The study demonstrates that evoking empathy may be effective for promoting and encouraging the use of face masks and physical distancing, compared with using factual information alone. The findings do not imply that if one is empathetic or in a particular mental state, they will not spread the virus.
Mental state and emotion cannot prevent COVID-19 from spreading. The use of face coverings, physical distancing and hand washing are recommended guidelines by WHO and US CDC health officials to reduce the spread of the SAR-CoV-2 virus. A recent study by researchers at Aarhus University found that people who are empathetic towards those who may be more vulnerable to the infection tend to wear face masks and maintain physical distancing more often. The study demonstrates that evoking empathy may be effective for promoting and encouraging the use of face masks and physical distancing, compared with using factual information alone. The findings do not imply that if one is empathetic or in a particular mental state, they will not spread the virus.
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What our experts say
Mental state and emotion cannot prevent COVID-19 from spreading. The use of face coverings, physical distancing and hand washing are recommended guidelines by WHO and US CDC health officials to reduce the spread of the SAR-CoV-2 virus.
A recent study by researchers at Aarhus University found that people who are empathetic towards those who may be more vulnerable to the infection tend to wear face masks and maintain physical distancing more often. The study demonstrates that evoking empathy may be effective for promoting and encouraging the use of face masks and physical distancing, compared with using factual information alone. The findings do not imply that if one is empathetic or in a particular mental state, they will not spread the virus.
Mental state and emotion cannot prevent COVID-19 from spreading. The use of face coverings, physical distancing and hand washing are recommended guidelines by WHO and US CDC health officials to reduce the spread of the SAR-CoV-2 virus.
A recent study by researchers at Aarhus University found that people who are empathetic towards those who may be more vulnerable to the infection tend to wear face masks and maintain physical distancing more often. The study demonstrates that evoking empathy may be effective for promoting and encouraging the use of face masks and physical distancing, compared with using factual information alone. The findings do not imply that if one is empathetic or in a particular mental state, they will not spread the virus.
Context and background
A recent study was carried out by researchers at Aarhus University, Denmark. The study explored the psychology behind social behaviors of mask wearing and physical distancing. It was carried out in three Western countries of Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom and found that empathy plays a role in motivating people to use protective measures like wearing masks and physically distancing.
The findings of this study have been interpreted and reported in misleading ways across the globe, some suggesting empathy can stop COVID-19 from spreading.
The study involved self-reporting participant surveys about their own perceptions and actions, which could be subject to social desirability bias; which means participants respond to questions with socially desirable answers rather than truthful answers.
A recent study was carried out by researchers at Aarhus University, Denmark. The study explored the psychology behind social behaviors of mask wearing and physical distancing. It was carried out in three Western countries of Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom and found that empathy plays a role in motivating people to use protective measures like wearing masks and physically distancing.
The findings of this study have been interpreted and reported in misleading ways across the globe, some suggesting empathy can stop COVID-19 from spreading.
The study involved self-reporting participant surveys about their own perceptions and actions, which could be subject to social desirability bias; which means participants respond to questions with socially desirable answers rather than truthful answers.
Resources
- The Emotional Path to Action: Empathy Promotes Physical Distancing and Wearing of Face Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Psychological Science)
- The Emotional Path to Action: Empathy Promotes Physical Distancing and Wearing of Face Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Psychological Science)
