Predicting attitudes towards easing COVID-19 restrictions in the United States of America : The role of health concerns, demographic, political, and individual difference factors
Journal article
Gerace, Adam, Rigney, Gabrielle and Anderson, Joel R.. (2022). Predicting attitudes towards easing COVID-19 restrictions in the United States of America : The role of health concerns, demographic, political, and individual difference factors. PLoS ONE. 17(2), p. Article e0263128. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263128
Authors | Gerace, Adam, Rigney, Gabrielle and Anderson, Joel R. |
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Abstract | Despite rising cases of COVID-19 in the United States of America, several states are easing restrictions (e.g., relaxing physical distancing requirements, reopening businesses) that were imposed to limit community transmission of the virus. Individuals hold differing opinions regarding whether restrictions should continue to be imposed or lifted, evidenced, for example, by debate and protests regarding reopening of businesses and venues. Health and social psychological research suggest that perceptions of COVID-19related risk, experiences of the virus, and individual difference factors can help explain individuals’ attitudes towards health initiatives and their tendency to be persuaded towards a specific course of action. The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors influence support or opposition to easing COVID-19-related restrictions. A sample of 350 United States citizens, responding to an anonymous survey, were asked about the extent to which they support/oppose easing of COVID-19-related restrictions, both generally and in relation to specific restrictions. Respondents completed measures of their experiences of COVID-19, individual difference factors, and demographic variables, including political affiliation and degree of social and economic conservatism. In a series of regression analyses, significant demographic predictors of support or opposition for easing restrictions were gender, age, ethnicity, and education, with political affiliation and degree of social and economic conservatism also predicting attitudes. Experiences related to COVID-19 that predicted attitudes were concerns for self and family, perceptions of threat posed by the virus, perceived ability to adhere to restrictions, willingness to take government direction, and belief in COVID-19-related conspiracy theories. At an individual differences level, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, long-term orientation, masculinity, empathic concern, personal distress, reactance, and general conspiracy theory beliefs all significantly precited attitudes to easing restrictions. Understanding the factors that help explain attitudes towards COVID-19 restrictions can inform how best to position health messaging and initiatives going forward, particularly as states or countries open borders. |
Year | 2022 |
Journal | PLoS ONE |
Journal citation | 17 (2), p. Article e0263128 |
Publisher | Public Library of Science |
ISSN | 1932-6203 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263128 |
PubMed ID | 35196316 |
Scopus EID | 2-s2.0-85125216237 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC8865684 |
Open access | Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access |
Page range | 1-27 |
Funder | Central Queensland University (CQUniversity) |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 23 Feb 2022 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 12 Jan 2022 |
Deposited | 26 Sep 2023 |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8zq49/predicting-attitudes-towards-easing-covid-19-restrictions-in-the-united-states-of-america-the-role-of-health-concerns-demographic-political-and-individual-difference-factors
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Publisher's version
OA_Gerace_2022_Predicting_attitudes_towards_easing_COVID_19.pdf | |
License: CC BY 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
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