Personality in a pandemic: Social norms moderate associations between personality and social distancing behaviors
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Personality in a pandemic : Social norms moderate associations between personality and social distancing behaviors. / Ludeke, Steven G.; Vitriol, Joseph A.; Gahner Larsen, Gahner Larsen; Gensowski, Miriam.
In: Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 177, 110828, 2021.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Personality in a pandemic
T2 - Social norms moderate associations between personality and social distancing behaviors
AU - Ludeke, Steven G.
AU - Vitriol, Joseph A.
AU - Gahner Larsen, Gahner Larsen
AU - Gensowski, Miriam
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - To limit the transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to understand the sources of social behavior for members of the general public. However, there is limited research on how basic psychological dispositions interact with social contexts to shape behaviors that help mitigate contagion risk, such as social distancing. Using a sample of 89,305 individuals from 39 countries, we show that Big Five personality traits and the social context jointly shape citizens' social distancing during the pandemic. Specifically, we observed that the association between personality traits and social distancing behaviors were attenuated as the perceived societal consensus for social distancing increased. This held even after controlling for objective features of the environment such as the level of government restrictions in place, demonstrating the importance of subjective perceptions of local norms.
AB - To limit the transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to understand the sources of social behavior for members of the general public. However, there is limited research on how basic psychological dispositions interact with social contexts to shape behaviors that help mitigate contagion risk, such as social distancing. Using a sample of 89,305 individuals from 39 countries, we show that Big Five personality traits and the social context jointly shape citizens' social distancing during the pandemic. Specifically, we observed that the association between personality traits and social distancing behaviors were attenuated as the perceived societal consensus for social distancing increased. This held even after controlling for objective features of the environment such as the level of government restrictions in place, demonstrating the importance of subjective perceptions of local norms.
KW - Faculty of Social Sciences
KW - COVID-19
KW - Social cognition
KW - Social interaction
KW - Personality
KW - Health
U2 - 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110828
DO - 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110828
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34720308
VL - 177
JO - Personality and Individual Differences
JF - Personality and Individual Differences
SN - 0191-8869
M1 - 110828
ER -
ID: 258495938