Researchers analyzed four daily diary samples involving 2,794 participants from the United States and United Kingdom who reported how hurt or rejected they felt by those they knew, how personally concerned they were about the spread of COVID-19, and how vigilantly they took precautions to safeguard against disease.
The authors found that people who believed they were invulnerable to infectious disease engaged in more concerted efforts to protect themselves against COVID-19 when they were in social pain.
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“When social interactions are more painful, it is a warning that motivates people who don’t normally worry about diseases to take greater steps to protect themselves against COVID-19,” says Dr. Murray.
Likewise, researchers note that when social interactions are less painful, people who are less concerned about catching infectious diseases may be less likely to protect themselves. This can lull them into overlooking the threat that COVID-19 poses.
Dr. Murray emphasizes that the researchers are not urging people to reject others in an effort to motivate them to take actions to protect themselves against COVID-19, nor that social connections are the only factor in the fight against the disease. However, the study suggests that normal social interactions can change the way people respond to the daily threat of COVID-19.
Future research, Dr. Murray notes, should examine how daily experiences with social pain can affect other types of health behaviors, such as preventative vaccinations.
“The current research is only one piece of the puzzle,” says Dr. Murray, “but it does suggest that it’s important to understand how people’s behavior is influenced by the non-physical threats that other pose to them.”
Source: Eurekalert
