Psychological distance towards COVID-19: Geographical and hypothetical distance predict attitudes and mediate knowledge

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Autoren

  • Simon Blauza
  • Benedikt Heuckmann
  • Kerstin Hildegard Kremer
  • Alexander Georg Büssing

Organisationseinheiten

Forschungs-netzwerk anzeigen

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)8632-8643
Seitenumfang12
FachzeitschriftCurrent Psychology
Jahrgang42
Ausgabenummer10
Frühes Online-Datum31 Okt. 2021
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Apr. 2023

Abstract

While different antecedents have been examined to explain peoples' reactions towards COVID-19, there is only scarce understanding about the role of the subjective closeness and distance to the pandemic. Within the current study, we applied the concept of psychological distance to understand the distance towards COVID-19 and investigated its (1) connection with preventive attitudes and proactive behaviors, (2) context-specific antecedents, and its (3) mediating effect of knowledge on attitudes. Using an online sample from a German quantitative cross-sectional study (N = 395, M = 32.2 years, SD = 13.9 years, 64.3% female) in July 2020, a time with a general low incidence of people infected with Sars-CoV2, we measured relevant socio-psychological constructs addressing COVID-19 and included further information from external sources. Based on a path model, we found geographical distance as a significant predictor of cognitive attitudes towards COVID-19. Furthermore, hypothetical distance (i.e., feeling to be likely affected by COVID-19) predicted not only participants' affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes, but also the installation of a corona warning-app. While several variables affected the different dimensions of psychological distance, hypothetical and geographical distance mediated the effect of knowledge on attitudes. These results underline the role of geographical and hypothetical distance for health-related behaviors and education. For example, people will only comply with preventive measures if they feel geographically concerned by the disease, which is particularly challenging for fast-spreading global diseases such as COVID-19. Therefore, there is a need to clearly communicate the personal risks of diseases and address peoples' hypothetical distance.

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Zitieren

Psychological distance towards COVID-19: Geographical and hypothetical distance predict attitudes and mediate knowledge. / Blauza, Simon; Heuckmann, Benedikt; Kremer, Kerstin Hildegard et al.
in: Current Psychology, Jahrgang 42, Nr. 10, 04.2023, S. 8632-8643.

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Blauza S, Heuckmann B, Kremer KH, Büssing AG. Psychological distance towards COVID-19: Geographical and hypothetical distance predict attitudes and mediate knowledge. Current Psychology. 2023 Apr;42(10):8632-8643. Epub 2021 Okt 31. doi: 10.1007/s12144-021-02415-x
Blauza, Simon ; Heuckmann, Benedikt ; Kremer, Kerstin Hildegard et al. / Psychological distance towards COVID-19 : Geographical and hypothetical distance predict attitudes and mediate knowledge. in: Current Psychology. 2023 ; Jahrgang 42, Nr. 10. S. 8632-8643.
Download
@article{a7180d62b4784e0ebdd9f5bf74c9b3ca,
title = "Psychological distance towards COVID-19: Geographical and hypothetical distance predict attitudes and mediate knowledge",
abstract = "While different antecedents have been examined to explain peoples' reactions towards COVID-19, there is only scarce understanding about the role of the subjective closeness and distance to the pandemic. Within the current study, we applied the concept of psychological distance to understand the distance towards COVID-19 and investigated its (1) connection with preventive attitudes and proactive behaviors, (2) context-specific antecedents, and its (3) mediating effect of knowledge on attitudes. Using an online sample from a German quantitative cross-sectional study (N = 395, M = 32.2 years, SD = 13.9 years, 64.3% female) in July 2020, a time with a general low incidence of people infected with Sars-CoV2, we measured relevant socio-psychological constructs addressing COVID-19 and included further information from external sources. Based on a path model, we found geographical distance as a significant predictor of cognitive attitudes towards COVID-19. Furthermore, hypothetical distance (i.e., feeling to be likely affected by COVID-19) predicted not only participants' affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes, but also the installation of a corona warning-app. While several variables affected the different dimensions of psychological distance, hypothetical and geographical distance mediated the effect of knowledge on attitudes. These results underline the role of geographical and hypothetical distance for health-related behaviors and education. For example, people will only comply with preventive measures if they feel geographically concerned by the disease, which is particularly challenging for fast-spreading global diseases such as COVID-19. Therefore, there is a need to clearly communicate the personal risks of diseases and address peoples' hypothetical distance.",
keywords = "Attitudes, Behavior, COVID-19, Knowledge, Psychological distance, Warning-app",
author = "Simon Blauza and Benedikt Heuckmann and Kremer, {Kerstin Hildegard} and B{\"u}ssing, {Alexander Georg}",
year = "2023",
month = apr,
doi = "10.1007/s12144-021-02415-x",
language = "English",
volume = "42",
pages = "8632--8643",
journal = "Current Psychology",
issn = "1046-1310",
publisher = "Springer New York",
number = "10",

}

Download

TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychological distance towards COVID-19

T2 - Geographical and hypothetical distance predict attitudes and mediate knowledge

AU - Blauza, Simon

AU - Heuckmann, Benedikt

AU - Kremer, Kerstin Hildegard

AU - Büssing, Alexander Georg

PY - 2023/4

Y1 - 2023/4

N2 - While different antecedents have been examined to explain peoples' reactions towards COVID-19, there is only scarce understanding about the role of the subjective closeness and distance to the pandemic. Within the current study, we applied the concept of psychological distance to understand the distance towards COVID-19 and investigated its (1) connection with preventive attitudes and proactive behaviors, (2) context-specific antecedents, and its (3) mediating effect of knowledge on attitudes. Using an online sample from a German quantitative cross-sectional study (N = 395, M = 32.2 years, SD = 13.9 years, 64.3% female) in July 2020, a time with a general low incidence of people infected with Sars-CoV2, we measured relevant socio-psychological constructs addressing COVID-19 and included further information from external sources. Based on a path model, we found geographical distance as a significant predictor of cognitive attitudes towards COVID-19. Furthermore, hypothetical distance (i.e., feeling to be likely affected by COVID-19) predicted not only participants' affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes, but also the installation of a corona warning-app. While several variables affected the different dimensions of psychological distance, hypothetical and geographical distance mediated the effect of knowledge on attitudes. These results underline the role of geographical and hypothetical distance for health-related behaviors and education. For example, people will only comply with preventive measures if they feel geographically concerned by the disease, which is particularly challenging for fast-spreading global diseases such as COVID-19. Therefore, there is a need to clearly communicate the personal risks of diseases and address peoples' hypothetical distance.

AB - While different antecedents have been examined to explain peoples' reactions towards COVID-19, there is only scarce understanding about the role of the subjective closeness and distance to the pandemic. Within the current study, we applied the concept of psychological distance to understand the distance towards COVID-19 and investigated its (1) connection with preventive attitudes and proactive behaviors, (2) context-specific antecedents, and its (3) mediating effect of knowledge on attitudes. Using an online sample from a German quantitative cross-sectional study (N = 395, M = 32.2 years, SD = 13.9 years, 64.3% female) in July 2020, a time with a general low incidence of people infected with Sars-CoV2, we measured relevant socio-psychological constructs addressing COVID-19 and included further information from external sources. Based on a path model, we found geographical distance as a significant predictor of cognitive attitudes towards COVID-19. Furthermore, hypothetical distance (i.e., feeling to be likely affected by COVID-19) predicted not only participants' affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes, but also the installation of a corona warning-app. While several variables affected the different dimensions of psychological distance, hypothetical and geographical distance mediated the effect of knowledge on attitudes. These results underline the role of geographical and hypothetical distance for health-related behaviors and education. For example, people will only comply with preventive measures if they feel geographically concerned by the disease, which is particularly challenging for fast-spreading global diseases such as COVID-19. Therefore, there is a need to clearly communicate the personal risks of diseases and address peoples' hypothetical distance.

KW - Attitudes

KW - Behavior

KW - COVID-19

KW - Knowledge

KW - Psychological distance

KW - Warning-app

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85118303684&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s12144-021-02415-x

DO - 10.1007/s12144-021-02415-x

M3 - Article

VL - 42

SP - 8632

EP - 8643

JO - Current Psychology

JF - Current Psychology

SN - 1046-1310

IS - 10

ER -