Psychologist explains why people behave inappropriately due to coronavirus
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:07 am
The coronavirus epidemic is sweeping across the planet. The number of infected and deceased continues to grow, despite all measures taken. Meanwhile, people react to the bans paradoxically. A psychologist explains the reason for the clouding of mass consciousness.
All possible activities have moved to the Internet. In addition to work, media, films, TV series, educational and fitness courses, school and developmental classes for children, exhibitions of major museums, classical music concerts and theater performances are now held online. It would seem that staying at home has never been so comfortable. Why do people behave inappropriately, ignoring the recommendations of doctors and authorities to self-isolate and not give in to panic?
All over the world, people are sweeping up food in supermarkets. Judging by the goods vietnam whatsapp list that are in short supply on European and Russian shelves, the main symptom of coronavirus is an obsessive desire to use toilet paper, and in Russia there is also pasta and cereals, especially buckwheat. The list of irrational reactions to the introduced bans and restrictions does not end there: some are gathering in parks, while others are throwing parties at home.
It is unlikely that the population is completely ignorant or latently "dissenting". Renato Troffa, an Italian professor of social psychology at the University of Cagliari in Sardinia, expressed his opinion on the reasons behind the mass paradoxical behavior in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.
Peculiarities of risk perception
Perception of mass risk is complex. It is influenced by individual attitudes, social background, and the environment around you. Do you trust the government when it tells you not to panic? Are the people around you worried?
According to the psychologist, people assess risks based on three parameters:
the probability that an event will occur;
the ability to control it;
a forecast of how catastrophic the consequences could be.
Following the majority
We base our assessments on sources of information such as news and statistics, but we also take into account environmental factors such as the behavior of others. If you are knowledgeable about a subject, you tend to trust dry numbers. Otherwise, you copy the behavior of friends and acquaintances, reacting to events in the same way they do. This is especially evident when there is a lot of information and it is constantly changing.
Let’s say your friends think that hanging out together during the pandemic to make it less boring to work, study, and have fun at home is a great idea. Chances are good that you will think the same. This doesn’t mean that people aren’t afraid of getting infected at all. It’s just that their actions are largely determined by the fear of being judged by their immediate circle, explains Professor Trofa.
These reactions are deep-seated, our brains dictate that we want to fit in with the community we are a part of. Although people tend to trust their own experiences, the influence of others is often stronger. And if your colleagues continue to go to the office, you are likely not to stay home, fearing the consequences for your career and relationships with your team.
All possible activities have moved to the Internet. In addition to work, media, films, TV series, educational and fitness courses, school and developmental classes for children, exhibitions of major museums, classical music concerts and theater performances are now held online. It would seem that staying at home has never been so comfortable. Why do people behave inappropriately, ignoring the recommendations of doctors and authorities to self-isolate and not give in to panic?
All over the world, people are sweeping up food in supermarkets. Judging by the goods vietnam whatsapp list that are in short supply on European and Russian shelves, the main symptom of coronavirus is an obsessive desire to use toilet paper, and in Russia there is also pasta and cereals, especially buckwheat. The list of irrational reactions to the introduced bans and restrictions does not end there: some are gathering in parks, while others are throwing parties at home.
It is unlikely that the population is completely ignorant or latently "dissenting". Renato Troffa, an Italian professor of social psychology at the University of Cagliari in Sardinia, expressed his opinion on the reasons behind the mass paradoxical behavior in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.
Peculiarities of risk perception
Perception of mass risk is complex. It is influenced by individual attitudes, social background, and the environment around you. Do you trust the government when it tells you not to panic? Are the people around you worried?
According to the psychologist, people assess risks based on three parameters:
the probability that an event will occur;
the ability to control it;
a forecast of how catastrophic the consequences could be.
Following the majority
We base our assessments on sources of information such as news and statistics, but we also take into account environmental factors such as the behavior of others. If you are knowledgeable about a subject, you tend to trust dry numbers. Otherwise, you copy the behavior of friends and acquaintances, reacting to events in the same way they do. This is especially evident when there is a lot of information and it is constantly changing.
Let’s say your friends think that hanging out together during the pandemic to make it less boring to work, study, and have fun at home is a great idea. Chances are good that you will think the same. This doesn’t mean that people aren’t afraid of getting infected at all. It’s just that their actions are largely determined by the fear of being judged by their immediate circle, explains Professor Trofa.
These reactions are deep-seated, our brains dictate that we want to fit in with the community we are a part of. Although people tend to trust their own experiences, the influence of others is often stronger. And if your colleagues continue to go to the office, you are likely not to stay home, fearing the consequences for your career and relationships with your team.