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Map of the 67 participating countries and territories with total sample size scaled to colour (we did not obtain samples from countries in grey) All the worldmaps were produced using R packages. The map is from the package ‘rworldmap’ and is licensed-free from South, A. (2011). rworldmap: A New R package for Mapping Global Data. The R Journal, 3, 35-43.
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Changing collective behaviour and supporting non-pharmaceutical interventions is an important component in mitigating virus transmission during a pandemic. In a large international collaboration (Study 1, N = 49,968 across 67 countries), we investigated self-reported factors associated with public health behaviours (e.g., spatial distancing and str...
Citations
... National Environmental Identity: Environmentalism and a "clean-and-green" attitude have been found to be core components of being a "true" New Zealander (Milfont et al., 2020). Three aspects of national environmental identity were measured, namely national identity (Van Bavel et al., 2022), national environmental identity, and feelings towards the protection of biological heritage (items generated from the New Zealand's biological heritage project website: https://bioheritage.nz/goals/ stategic-objective/environmental-stewardship/). Sense of Community: The Brief Sense of Community Scale developed by Peterson et al. (2008) was used to assess the dimensions of needs fulfillment, group membership, influence, and shared emotional connection with an individual's community. ...
Urban landscapes play a crucial role in the health of freshwater ecosystems. The task of protecting and restoring urban freshwater waterways requires concerted efforts from all sectors of society, including volunteers. The recruitment and retention of volunteers is often a challenge for community environmental organizations as urban residents are diverse and influenced by a blend of personal, societal, and environmental factors. We surveyed a representative sample of 1901 urban residents across Aotearoa New Zealand and used the Behaviour Change Wheel framework and audience segmentation to understand the underlying factors influencing volunteering for waterway restoration projects and to identify potential target audiences to recruit new volunteers. We identified four segments within the target audience (“Supportive,” “Receptive but unsure,” “Hesitant and lack opportunity,” and “Reluctant”) each with its own unique profile of capabilities, opportunities, and motivations for volunteering. Recommendations for appropriate intervention designs to increase levels of volunteering include providing tailored messaging and events for those who are “Receptive but unsure” or “Hesitant and lack opportunity” and information about volunteering opportunities to “Supportive” individuals. This knowledge lays the groundwork for future initiatives focused on increasing urbanites' volunteering with community freshwater restoration groups.
... (5) Average belief in COVID-19 conspiracies (Van Bavel et al., 2022) .553*** (df = 35) ...
... Consequently, these measures do not inquire about any specific conspiracy theory. Hence, they are less epistemically risky (less likely to be falsified) than the measures that inquire about specific conspiracy theories, such as belief in the globally recognized conspiracies in YouGov's 2020 survey or belief in COVID-19 conspiracies ( Van Bavel et al., 2022). ...
... Average belief in COVID-19 conspiracies ( Van Bavel et al., 2022) .304 .390 ...
This article suggests that since people who believe in magic and those who believe in conspiracy theories produce meaning and make sense of the world by engaging in the same process of signification, they should be more likely to have one such belief if they hold the other. To test this proposition, we perform both macro‐ and micro‐level analyses using, respectively, cross‐national datasets and an original set of Tanzanian data. Our findings from both sets of analyses reveal a strong association between witchcraft beliefs and the belief in conspiracy theories.
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... However, it is important to note that people with right-wing ideology are not always opposed to public health recommendations in other countries. One large global study with samples from 67 countries found almost no correlation at all between left/right political ideology and support for public health recommendations, suggesting that polarization, rather than political ideology, was the greater risk factor 100 . ...
In addition to social determinants of health, such as economic resources, education, access to care and various environmental factors, there is growing evidence that political polarization poses a substantial risk to individual and collective well-being. Here we review the impact of political polarization on public health. We describe the different forms of polarization and how they are connected to health outcomes, highlighting the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study of the health risks of polarization. We then offer strategies for mitigating potential harms associated with polarization, with an emphasis on building social trust. Finally, we propose future research directions on this topic, underscore the need for more work in a global context and encourage greater collaboration between social scientists and medical scientists. We conclude that polarization is a serious-if largely overlooked-determinant of health, whose impacts must be more thoroughly understood and mitigated.
... Yu, 2020), Australia (Alyeksyeyeva et al., 2021), and the United States. Moreover, synchronic analyses have been conducted on a select group of world leaders (Berrocal et al., 2021;Dada et al., 2021;Montiel et al., 2021;Rajandran, 2020;Van Bavel et al., 2022;Wang, 2022;Wodak, 2021). ...
This study explores the effectiveness of image restoration strategies in pandemic crisis communication at the highest levels of administration. By integrating corpus-assisted discourse analysis with Image Repair Theory, it aims to uncover the prevailing strategies adopted by Chinese and American leaders to restore or enhance a positive national image in the post-COVID era. Lancsbox 6.0 was utilized to extract excerpts and analyze linguistic devices from a self-built corpus of 144 political speeches delivered by top leaders in China and the United States. The results reveal that Chinese leaders, through the use of shared image restoration strategies such as bolstering and transcendence, shape a positive national image of a responsible country. In contrast, American leaders construct a confident and ambitious national image, projecting a leading geopolitical role in the world. These strategies have distinct features that contribute to the image restoration process. Apart from contributing significantly to the comparative research on Chinese and American pandemic-related political speeches, the research findings carry implications for the practice and promotion of national ideologies. The study also highlights the diverse ways in which credible and accurate crisis messages are employed, providing valuable insights for handling pandemics or other crises in the foreseeable or distant future.
... 166 Prosocial activity and cooperation are important factors influencing the adequate responses to the pandemic. 165,167,168 Forced lockdowns left many aging people without social structure and support, resulting in more significant cognitive decline. 169 This exemplifies the detriment of isolation on individuals because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ...
Many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) positive individuals exhibit abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity reflecting “brain fog” and mild cognitive impairments even months after the acute phase of infection. Resting‐state EEG abnormalities include EEG slowing (reduced alpha rhythm; increased slow waves) and epileptiform activity. An expert panel conducted a systematic review to present compelling evidence that cognitive deficits due to COVID‐19 and to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) are driven by overlapping pathologies and neurophysiological abnormalities. EEG abnormalities seen in COVID‐19 patients resemble those observed in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ADRD. It is proposed that similar EEG abnormalities in Long COVID and ADRD are due to parallel neuroinflammation, astrocyte reactivity, hypoxia, and neurovascular injury. These neurophysiological abnormalities underpinning cognitive decline in COVID‐19 can be detected by routine EEG exams. Future research will explore the value of EEG monitoring of COVID‐19 patients for predicting long‐term outcomes and monitoring efficacy of therapeutic interventions.
Highlights
Abnormal intrinsic electrophysiological brain activity, such as slowing of EEG, reduced alpha wave, and epileptiform are characteristic findings in COVID‐19 patients. EEG abnormalities have the potential as neural biomarkers to identify neurological complications at the early stage of the disease, to assist clinical assessment, and to assess cognitive decline risk in Long COVID patients.
Similar slowing of intrinsic brain activity to that of COVID‐19 patients is typically seen in patients with mild cognitive impairments, ADRD. Evidence presented supports the idea that cognitive deficits in Long COVID and ADRD are driven by overlapping neurophysiological abnormalities resulting, at least in part, from neuroinflammatory mechanisms and astrocyte reactivity.
Identifying common biological mechanisms in Long COVID‐19 and ADRD can highlight critical pathologies underlying brain disorders and cognitive decline. It elucidates research questions regarding cognitive EEG and mild cognitive impairment in Long COVID that have not yet been adequately investigated.
... As such, many labs' studies ensure sample quality by entrusting local researchers with data collection and are equipped to comment on the generalizability of psychological phenomena across cultural contexts. These large-scale investigations are time-and cost-intensive endeavors and, therefore, might be especially suited for research questions surrounding fundamental psychological phenomena that require generalizability (such as perception and values), as well as issues with global immediacy and relevance, such as those pertaining to climate mitigation action ( 10 ) and public health support ( 11 ). ...
... Additionally, individual differences in priorities are common within a culture 84,88 . Further, goals and priorities can change within populations and across generations 85 , and even over short periods of time, such as when pathogens suddenly appear 90 . Thus, in our study, the current prioritization of emotional health may be particularly important to the cohort and time interval we included, as compelling cross-cultural research suggests 2,3,91 . ...
Every human and non-human animal must make tradeoffs in investments in terms of time, energy, and resources. The aim of this study was to extrapolate from the types of investments in survival and reproduction that non-human animals make and translate these into human motivations. 16 potential goals were presented to 851 childless, 18–23-year-old adults from 11 world regions in an online study. Each young adult was asked to weight the importance of every goal to his or her ideal life. Weights had to sum to 100, requiring tradeoffs. Results revealed striking agreement across young adults with only four goals weighted above chance: Finding a beloved romantic partner, being physically and emotionally healthy, and earning money or resources. Having lots of sexual partners was the least important goal across all world regions for both sexes. Nevertheless, men more than women valued having many sexual partners, being talented outside work, being physically strong, and having a physically attractive romantic partner. Overall, there was cultural variation in some of the less important goals. Helping young adults achieve success requires understanding their own goals, rather than focusing on popularized depictions of what young adults desire.
... High congruence strengthens national identity, 54 predicting greater pandemic policy adherence. 92 Complex response surface patterns for self-direction warrant examination. Despite no straightforward congruence effects, extreme personal-societal incongruence amplified support. ...
... While hedonism emphasizes pleasure-seeking, 10,12,23 extreme congruence heightens national identity, 54 predicting cooperation with interventions enabling collective normalcy resumption. 92 In the context of power value, the personal-cultural incongruence manifests when individuals do not personally prioritize power and status, but live in a society that does. In societies highly valuing power, an overarching narrative emphasizes collective obedience and policy support as patriotism, exerting normative pressure. ...
Objectives: We explored the roles of personal values and value congruence一the alignment between individual and national values一in predicting public support for pandemic restrictions across 20 European countries.
Study design: Cross-sectional study.
Methods: We analyzed multinational European survey data (N = 34,356) using Schwartz's values theory and person-environment fit theory. Multilevel polynomial regression was employed to assess the linear and curvilinear effects of personal values on policy support. Multilevel Euclidean similarity analysis and response surface analysis were conducted to evaluate the impact of value congruence and delineate nuanced congruence patterns.
Results: Findings revealed that extreme levels of security, conformity, stimulation, hedonism, and achievement values were associated with decreased policy support. Value congruence with security, conformity, and benevolence increased support, while congruence with stimulation, hedonism, and achievement reduced it. High congruence between personal and national social focus values significantly boosted policy support. Extreme mismatches in self-direction values amplified support. Societal power exceeding personal power also increased support. Matched levels of hedonism motivated greater support, while stimulation and achievement value (in)congruence showed little impact.
Conclusions: We highlight the differential effects of personal values and value congruence on public attitudes toward pandemic restrictions. The findings underscore the importance of considering the interplay between individual and societal values when designing and implementing effective pandemic
response strategies.
... jsp. We began with cleaning the WVS dataset to include associated dimensions and their corresponding items, based on the categorization in the WVS and related literature 11,90 . We then used measurement validation to select items that measure each dimension. ...
... Items for each factor were selected based on the pre-existing classification by the World Values Survey (WVS), related literature, reliability analyses, and CFA analysis (refer to Sect. "Data analysis" for more details) 11,90 . In this section, we outline each measure, including its items and the scale it uses. ...
... As mentioned above, we selected a specific set of questions to measure each factor. This selection was based on the classification from the World Values Survey and related literature, the average variance extracted, Cronbach's α, the estimate of the standardized path list, and the p-value of the unstandardized path list 11,90 . Cronbach's α is a measure of internal consistency used to assess how well each item relates to the construct. ...
Life satisfaction refers to an individual’s cognitive evaluation of the quality of their life. The aim of the present study is to develop the current understanding of how perceived corruption, attitudes toward migration, perceived security, and strength of national identity influence life satisfaction. Additionally, the study examines how demographic variables of relationship status, social class, sex, religious affiliation, and country impact life satisfaction in the provided cultural context. Ordinal logistic regression analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling are used to analyze data from the World Values Survey. Findings from the analyses indicate that perceived corruption, perceived security, and strength of national identity have a significant impact on life satisfaction, whereas migration has an indirect effect on life satisfaction through perceived security. The present research can develop our current understanding of life satisfaction from a socio-political perspective.
... While health and resource scarcity threats can clearly affect us, often by heightening our perceptions of and emotional reactions to these threats, little is known about the systematic effects of these changes on human psychology and behavior. Most studies in behavioral and psychological sciences on the effects of health and scarcity threats rely on surveys and other correlational field data (e.g., Hensel et al., 2022;Van Bavel et al., 2022), due to a lack of experimental techniques for reliably increasing the cognitive saliency of threat perceptions. The present study addresses this methodological gap by providing a brief technique that can systematically activate perceptions of personal health or resource scarcity threats in online and laboratory studies, both in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and in a more general threat context. ...
Understanding our cognitive and behavioral reactions to large-scale collective problems involving health and resource scarcity threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, helps us be better prepared for future collective threats. However, existing studies on these threats tend to be restricted to correlational data, partly due to a lack of reliable experimental techniques for manipulating threat perceptions. In four preregistered experiments ( N = 5152), we developed and validated an experimental technique that can separately activate perceptions of personal health threat or resource scarcity threat, either in the specific context of the COVID-19 pandemic or in general. We compared the threat manipulations to a relaxation manipulation designed to deactivate background threat perceptions as well as to a passive control condition. Confirmatory tests showed substantial activation of personal health and resource scarcity threat perceptions. This brief technique can be easily used in online experiments. Distress due to the threat manipulation was rarely reported and easily managed with a debriefing toolkit.
