Can probability neglect bias promote social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The effectiveness of a stay-at-home order depends on the speed of behavioral changes that are triggered by risk perception. Probability neglect bias, one of the cognitive biases, may lead people to engage in social distancing. However, there is no empirical evidence of the relationship between probability neglect bias and social distancing. This study aims to examine the relationship between individual differences in susceptibility to probability neglect bias and the level of social distancing practice during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan. The level of engagement in social distancing was defined as the narrowing of life-space mobility. We conducted a web-based questionnaire survey among 1000 adults living in central Tokyo, Japan, at the beginning of the pandemic outbreak. Our results show that people had a strong fear of infection in the early pandemic stages. Approximately 60% of our subjects were influenced by probability neglect bias. People susceptible to probability neglect bias engaged in social distancing more intensely than those who were not susceptible after the state of emergency was lifted.     

Does online social support uniquely buffer effects of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic?: A natural experiment

In-person sources of social support buffer effects of stress on mental health. However, online social support inconsistently demonstrates stress-buffering effects. Highly stressful circumstances, such as the first month of COVID-19 lockdown, may be necessary to benefit from support received from online networks. We investigated whether online support demonstrated an increased stress-buffering effect on depressive symptoms during the first month of COVID-19 lockdown. We collected cross-sectional data on three distinct groups of participants from February to April 2020—preceding lockdown (pre-COVID; n = 53), up to four weeks following university closures (initial lockdown; n = 136), and the final weeks of the semester (later lockdown; n = 127). Initial lockdown participants reported significantly more stress than pre-COVID but not later lockdown participants. The online social support by stress by COVID phase interaction was only significant for the initial versus later lockdown comparison. Online support buffered stress during initial lockdown but not later lockdown. Stress-buffering effects of offline support were observed and did not depend on COVID phase. Online support may only buffer stress when stress is heightened and offline support is less available.     

Contagious or prosocial? Perceptions of mask-wearers toward Whites and Asians: A cross-cultural comparison during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a worldwide increase in the use of face masks to prevent viral transmission. However, as mask-wearing was a new behavior in many countries, there was a limited understanding of how mask-wearers are perceived and how such perceptions impact one's own mask-wearing behavior. Mask-wearers may be seen as contagious or prosocial, and these perceptions may vary based on the race of the mask-wearer and the country of the observer, particularly given the rise in pandemic-related anti-Asian rhetoric in the U.S. In three experiments (N = 579), we investigated these questions, conducting two studies in the United States (May and July 2020), where mask-wearing was new and anti-Asian rhetoric has been prevalent, and one study in South Korea (November 2020), where mask-wearing was relatively common. Results indicate that masked individuals are perceived as less contagious and more prosocial, regardless of target race or participant nation. These perceptions were more pronounced among American political liberals, Americans who are more sensitive to infection transmission (Study 2), and Koreans who self-perceived a greater vulnerability to infection (Study 3). Especially in the U.S., perceiving the masked target as more prosocial predicted more self-reported mask-wearing, while perceiving the masked target as more contagious and less prosocial predicted less mask-wearing (Study 2). These findings provide insights into social perceptions of masks and race during the pandemic.     

Prenatal maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and birth outcomes: Is the newborn spared?

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated numerous stressors among the general population, but more specifically in pregnant women because of disruptions in prenatal care and delivery conditions. Studies suggest that prenatal maternal stress increased during the pandemic (Berthelot et al., 2020; Perzow et al., 2021; Tomfohr-Madsen et al., 2021). Considering what is known about the fetal programming potential of prenatal maternal stress, several researchers, early in the pandemic, raised concerns over the significant negative consequences that the pandemic context could have on birth outcomes. Studies comparing birth outcomes during versus before the pandemic suggest a marginal increase in birthweight and a significant decrease in preterm birth (Yang et al., 2022), but individual variations in prenatal maternal stress during the pandemic have received less attention. The objective of the present study is to examine the association between prenatal maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and birth outcomes. During pregnancy, 195 expecting mothers reported on their general and pandemic-related stress. When their child was 6 months old, mothers completed a questionnaire collecting information on birth outcomes (gestational age, birthweight, head circumference and Apgar scores). Hierarchical linear regressions show that none of the maternal prenatal stress variables significantly predicted variations in birth outcomes. Potential pandemic-related protective factors (e.g., changes in life and hygiene habits, rest imposed by lockdowns) and the need to offer support to pregnant women are discussed.     

Does COVID-19 impact the frequency of threatening events in dreams? An exploration of pandemic dreaming in light of contemporary dream theories

Ninety-one dreams collected during the Covid-19 pandemic (the epidemic-situation sample) were compared with ninety-one dreams collected before the start of the epidemic (the non-epidemic-situation sample). The dreams were classified according to their content, using methods based on previous studies. The frequency of themes was compared to predictions that would be anticipated by three contemporary theories of dreaming: 1) threat simulation theory (TST); 2) incorporation continuity hypothesis (ICH); and 3) social simulation theory (SST). The epidemic-situation sample dreamed more of threatening events than the non-epidemic-situation sample (supporting the TST) and more of non-aggression threatening events, possibly due to the hyperassociation during sleep. However, the epidemic-situation sample did not show a greater prevalence of illness events in dreams (not supporting the ICH). Additionally, there was no significant difference in social neutral and positive events in dreams between the two samples as would have been predicted by the SST.     

Parental evaluation of teachers’ competences and characteristics during COVID-19 pandemic homeschooling

Social Psychology of Education - With the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, school-related closures and the hasty transition into homeschooling, parents were required to take a more active and...     

Was it a clutch performance? A qualitative exploration of the definitional boundaries of clutch performance

ObjectivesClutch performance refers to positive performance under pressure. Definitions of clutch performance, however, differ on the performance level required to constitute this phenomenon. This definitional divergence centres on whether clutch performance requires increased, or maintained, performance. Further, it is unclear what performance benchmark (e.g., season average) clutch performances should be compared against. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore athletes’ perceptions of what performance level is required for clutch performance, and what performance benchmarks clutch performances are compared against.MethodTwenty-four athletes (M_age = 27.13 years) participated in event-focused, semi-structured interviews soon after a positive performance under pressure (M = 93 h later). Data were analysed utilising reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThree themes were generated: (1) clutch performance is assessed against goal achievement, suggesting that the achievement of self-referenced goals is the primary indicator athletes’ use to assess clutch performance; (2) clutch performance exists on a performance spectrum, suggesting that the performance level required for clutch performance differs due to the appraisal of pressure and the athletes’ own goals; and (3) different benchmarks are used to assess clutch performance, suggesting that athletes’ may draw on both previous performances, and the performance itself, to assess clutch performance.ConclusionsThis study suggested that clutch performance is a situational and context-dependent phenomenon. Specifically, athletes assessed clutch performance on the extent to which they perceived achievement of self-referenced goals. Defining clutch performance in this manner may resolve tensions between existing definitions, and further, may facilitate development of a measure of clutch performance.     

Disruptive pandemic effects on telecommuters: A longitudinal study of work–family balance and well-being during COVID-19

We examined the disruptive influence of COVID-19 pandemic rates in the community on telecommuters' satisfaction with balancing their work and family roles and consequently their well-being. Utilizing event system theory and adaptation theory, we proposed that the rate of increase in proportion of confirmed COVID-19 cases in telecommuters' residential communities would predict a lower rate of increase in their satisfaction with work–family balance over time, thereby indirectly influencing two key aspects of well-being—emotional exhaustion and life satisfaction. Results from latent growth curve modeling using objective community data, as well as survey responses from a three-wave (N = 349) panel study of telecommuters in the United States, indicated that rate of increase in the proportion of confirmed COVID-19 cases in communities was negatively associated with the rate of increase in satisfaction with work–family balance, which translated into decreasing levels of well-being over time. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.     

“‘Ninja’ levels of focus”: Therapeutic holding environments and the affective atmospheres of telepsychology during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 crisis in Australia led to a rapid increase in the use of telehealth services to offer psychological therapy (often referred to as ‘telepsychology’). In this article, we discuss the intersection of the social psychology concepts of therapeutic holding spaces and containment with more-than-human theory as it relates to Australia's mental health sector during the COVID-19 crisis. Drawing on our recent qualitative survey research into Australian psychologists' use of telepsychology during the crisis, we consider the ways that they worked to build and maintain therapeutic holding spaces and alliances over teleconferencing platforms during this extraordinary time of social crisis and isolation. We explore and contextualise three important findings from our study: 1) the limited viewing area of a flat screen makes it difficult for therapists to read and respond to their client's body language and requires different forms of returned bodily gestures in order to show empathy; 2) most respondents implemented different affective and relational strategies online to ensure they were not missing important non-verbal cues from their clients; and 3) the traditionally ‘safe’ therapeutic holding space created in face-to-face therapy can be easily subverted by client-end interruptions, and concerns around safety or personal privacy in the client's home environment. In bringing these issues to the fore, we highlight the online therapeutic holding space as a temporally and socially situated human-technological assemblage in which a series of affective, spatial, relational and sense-making agencies coverage, opening or closing off capacities for therapists and their clients.     

Depression as a proxy of negative affect? A critical examination of the use of the CES-D in type 2 diabetes

ObjectivesRecent research suggests depression as measured by self-endorsed symptoms lists is associated with poor health outcomes in chronic illness. Yet, it is probable that these lists of symptoms reflect other concepts such as general distress or negative affect when used as dimensions.MethodsTo test for this hypothesis, we explored associations of the Centre of Epidemiological Studies-Depression, Radloff ([CES-D], 1977) with disease severity in diabetes and how trait negative affect from the Profile of Mood States ([POMS]; Usala & Hertzog, 1989; adaptation by Cohen et al., 1995) impact these associations in a sample of 502 people with type 2 diabetes.ResultsWe found that the CES-D included two dimensions of negative and positive experience. Each CES-D component was independently linked to disease severity. However, controlling for trait negative affect suppressed the correlation between the CES-D negative experience component and disease severity. Item-level analyses revealed that the negative experience component of the CES-D bore an emotional tone of sadness but not anger.ConclusionsWhen using the CES-D, distinguishing positive and negative components is necessary. Self-reported depression symptoms from the CES-D have no incremental validity over negative affect.     

Contribution of social support to home-quarantined Chinese college students’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of online learning self-efficacy and moderating role of anxiety

Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of quarantine policy led to an unprecedented home-quarantined living and online learning context for Chinese college students. This study aimed to investigate whether and how social support contributed to home-quarantined Chinese college students’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this study examined the mediating role of online learning self-efficacy in explaining how social support contributed to home-quarantined Chinese college students’ well-being. The study also examined the moderating effect of anxiety, which may buffer the effectiveness of social support and online learning self-efficacy in home-quarantined online learning contexts. Data include 2481 responses to an online questionnaire survey from home-quarantined Chinese college undergraduates. Data were analyzed by performing Partial Least Squares regression. Results showed that social support associated positively with home-quarantined Chinese college students’ online learning self-efficacy and well-being. The results revealed a partial mediating effect of online-learning self-efficacy on the positive effect of social support on well-being. The moderating effect analysis found that the positive association of online learning self-efficacy with social support and well-being was stronger in home-quarantined Chinese college students who perceived no anxiety.

     

Who has the street-smarts? The role of emotion in co-creating the city

Elizabeth Grosz argues that bodies and cities co-create one another; bodies build cities but cities in turn shape bodies, physically and socially. Recent findings in neurobiological research confirm that environmental factors can change the way DNA is folded, affecting such things as mood regulation and impulse control. In turn, emotional factors affect our capacity to shape our environment. But is each citizen afforded with the same opportunities and capacity to shape the city and the same susceptibility to being shaped by it? This paper suggests, following Michel de Certeau, that although even the apparently powerless can change cities, those who are emotionally robust are more effective. The paper presents a collaborative creative installation in Melbourne between one of the authors and a group of homeless and socially isolated women, and contrasts it with the work of graffiti artists to demonstrate the effect that emotion has on the capacity of the marginalised to shape the urban fabric. The second author provides evidence from neurobiology to support the claims.     

Couple and family therapists’ experiences with Telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a phenomenological analysis

In designing this study, we aimed to obtain a rich, phenomenological understanding of the experiences of couple and family therapists who transitioned their practice to telehealth due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelve experienced therapists from the U.S., Spain and Australia were interviewed in depth about their experiences of this transition, particularly how they developed and maintained therapeutic alliances in a virtual context with couples and families suffering pandemic-related hardships. The qualitative analysis identified 40 themes reflecting participants’ initial impressions of telehealth and their positive and negative reactions and adjustments to practicing remotely. Upon overcoming some initial wariness about providing services virtually, many participants described advantages to this way of working with families. Indeed, participants were creative in adjusting to this novel therapy modality, finding new ways to connect emotionally with their clients, to work meaningfully with children, to assess in-session dynamics, and to ensure their clients’ privacy and safety. Notably, several participants commented on the relatively slower development of alliances with new cases and the challenge of repairing split alliances between family members. Many of these difficulties were described as due to having minimal access to their clients’ raw emotions and the inability to use typical systemic interventions, such as moving family members around physically. Participants also reflected on being a “participant observer” to the upheaval caused by the pandemic, a distressing experience they shared with the families in their care.

     

“Does degree of asymmetry relate to performance?” A critical review

In a recent paper, Chiarello, Welcome, Halderman, and Leonard (2009) reported positive correlations between word-related visual field asymmetries and reading performance. They argued that strong word processing lateralization represents a more optimal brain organization for reading acquisition. Their empirical results contrasted sharply with those of another such large-scale study, by Boles, Barth, and Merrill (2008). We reported negative correlations between asymmetry and performance when both were measured using the same visual lexical tasks. Most recently, within-task negative correlations were also reported by Hirnstein, Leask, Rose, and Hausmann (2010). Here two major differences between studies are explored. Task purity refers to the influence of the same mental processes on both the asymmetry and performance measures, and is arguably maximal in studies measuring both within the same task. The other difference concerns the measurement of asymmetry. Linear corrections for ceiling and floor effects were used by Chiarello et al. and Hirnstein et al., while we used a more appropriate nonlinear one. Their results are difficult to interpret for those reasons. The operation of a third variable to which both asymmetry and performance are positively correlated could also be a factor in the Chiarello et al. findings. The Boles et al. findings reflect a negative correlation between an asymmetric visual lexical process and performance measured within the same task.     

Won't you be my neighbor? Local community identification predicted decreased stress over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Social identities are an important resource, especially during times of crisis. They provide shared meaning, as well as access to social and instrumental support. The COVID-19 pandemic, although global in nature, was experienced very locally; many people stopped traveling and were often confined to their homes and neighborhoods. We reasoned this would make American residents' local community identities especially important. We collected data at five time points between April 2020 and March 2021 and measured American adults' social identification with their local community, identification with a self-nominated important group, and stress. We found that stress decreased over the first few months of the pandemic, then leveled out. Importantly, this decrease was more pronounced among people who strongly identified with their local communities. Furthermore, community identities were stronger predictors of stress decreases than social groups that respondents themselves nominated as highly important to them (e.g., family, friends). These results held controlling for age, gender, political conservatism, and other variables. This research provides important insights into the importance of social identities, and specifically local communities, during times of crisis.     

Do masks matter? Consumer perceptions of social media influencers who wear face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic

The rapid spread of COVID-19 brought about an increased use of face masks among the general public. Focusing on disposable surgical masks in particular, this article examines consumer perceptions of and intentions toward social media influencers who wear such masks amid the pandemic. Drawing on the theory of product symbolism, this research experimentally demonstrates that masked (vs. unmasked) influencers remind consumers of highly competent healthcare professionals, leading in turn to greater competence inferences about and more favorable behavioral intentions toward these influencers. Additional analysis demonstrates that this effect might not hold for other groups of professionals who are considered relatively competent at the outset and/or whose profession is less reliant on external cues. Overall, this research suggests that apart from curtailing the spread of the pandemic, mask wearing might prove beneficial to certain groups of professionals, such as social media influencers, who have traditionally struggled to establish credibility. In a broader context, this research establishes mask wearing as a new form of nonverbal communication that warrants further examination.