An existential perspective on interpersonal closeness and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The terror management health model proposes that COVID-19's association with death should increase a desire for closeness, which could undermine social distancing intentions. Alternatively, social distancing intentions may increase if it has become culturally valued. The present research assessed these claims. DESIGN: We conducted three pre-registered online experiments (N = 409) where we manipulated COVID-19 thoughts, and examined either proximal (i.e. immediate) or distal (i.e. delayed) reactions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Death-thought accessibility, desire for closeness, social distancing intentions, and measures concerning the perceived cultural value of social distancing. RESULTS: COVID-19 thoughts increased death-thought accessibility (Study 1). COVID-19-induced death thoughts increased a distal desire for closeness, particularly in securely attached individuals, but also increased the perceived value of, and intentions to engage in, social distancing (Studies 2 and 3). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate how proximal strategies may progress to distal strategies when they become embedded within cultural worldviews. These findings can aid in sustained efforts to encourage social distancing behavior.

The proximal and distal effects of mortality salience on COVID-19-related health perceptions and intentions.

Health preventative measures are important in reducing transmission of COVID-19, yet death-related thoughts might hinder preventative action. Using two online samples (N = 948), we examined how mortality salience (MS) may produce health-related proximal and distal defenses relevant to COVID-19, examining health optimism and appearance self-worth as moderators. MS decreased perceived vulnerability as a proximal defense for those with high health optimism (Study 1), while those with low health optimism decreased perceived response efficacy of face masks and intention to wear a protective face mask (Study 2). Additionally, those with high appearance self-worth displayed increased intention to wear an aesthetically appealing face mask as a distal defense to MS (Study 2). Our findings demonstrate the importance of considering how mortality concerns may channel health-defeating and health-promoting behaviors in respect to COVID-19 and provide insight into how to produce sustained engagement in health preventative action to combat the pandemic.

The relationship between COVID-19-induced death thoughts and depression during a national lockdown.

Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased rates of depression worldwide. Many factors have been identified to relate to this increase depression, but according to Terror Management Theory, the heightened awareness of death during the pandemic has the potential to increase depression for those with low self-esteem. This hypothesis was examined in a U.K. sample during the first national lockdown where depression, self-esteem and death-thought accessibility (DTA) were measured, and a COVID Index (COVID-19 cases and deaths on date of participation) was produced. The COVID Index was positively related to DTA. Additionally, DTA mediated the relationship between the COVID Index and depression scores when participants had low levels of self-esteem. These findings suggest that heightened existential concerns may be a neglected factor increasing depression during the pandemic.