Behavioral extremity moderates the association between certainty in attitudes about COVID and willingness to engage in mitigation-related behaviors

People generally intend to act more on beliefs and attitudes about which they have greater certainty. However, we introduce a boundary condition to the positive association between certainty and behavioral intentions-behavioral extremity. Uncertainty about a threatening issue like COVID-19 can be disconcerting, and we propose that uncertain people cope in part through increased openness to extreme actions like accepting risky medical treatments and aggression toward those defying mitigation policies. Testing this, we compiled and analyzed all the data on certainty about COVID-19 mitigation policies and willingness to engage in mitigation-related behaviors that our lab collected during the pandemic (6 samples, 20 behaviors, Ns up to 1496). External ratings of the behaviors' extremity moderated certainty-willingness associations: whereas greater certainty was associated with increased willingness to engage in moderate behaviors (the typical result), lower certainty was associated with increased willingness to engage in extreme behaviors, especially among those worried about becoming ill.

Informal care burden during the COVID-19 pandemic in Flanders, Belgium: The role of perceived threat, personality and resilience.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigate how socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender and education) and informal care relationship characteristics (e.g., time spent on care, number of informal caregivers, professional care) are linked with informal care burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we expect this burden to differ by personality characteristics, degree of resilience, and-in this specific context-perceived the COVID-19 threat. METHOD: We used the fifth wave of a longitudinal study to identify 258 informal caregivers. These online survey data came from a five-wave longitudinal study in Flanders, Belgium that ran from April 2020 to April 2021. Data were representative of the adult population by age and gender. Analyses include t-tests, ANOVA, SEM and binomial logistic regression. RESULTS: We found that the informal care burden was strongly linked with a socio-economic gradient, time investment changes in care since the start of the pandemic, and whether there was more than one informal caregiver. Personality traits such as agreeableness and openness to experience, and the perceived threat of COVID-19 were also related to care burden. CONCLUSIONS: During the pandemic, informal caregivers were put under extra considerable pressure: restrictive government measures sometimes led to the temporary suspension of some or all professional care for persons with care needs, which may have resulted in a growing psychosocial burden. We recommend that, in the future, the focus should be on supporting the mental wellbeing and social participation of caregivers along with measures to protect caregivers and their relatives from COVID-19. Support structures for informal caregivers should be kept running during crises now and in the future, but it is also important to adopt a case-by-case basis to consider support for informal caregivers.

Determination of symptoms of depressive, anxiety and somatic and perceived threat of Covid-19 among health care workers

This study aimed to determine symptoms of depressive, anxiety and somatic and perceived threat of coronavirus disease among health care workers. The study was conducted in Istanbul. 315 health care workers who completed the online questionnaire included in the study. Measurement tools consisted of a questionnaire including items to define perceived level of coronavirus disease of participants and questions about demographic characteristics and Patient Health Questionnare-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-15. It was determined that somatic symptoms were clinically significantly high in 37.8% of the healthcare workers and it is followed by depression symptoms in 34% and anxiety symptoms in 23.5% respectively. The results showed that 77.8% of participants felt coronavirus disease as a life-threatening situation and 95.6% of them worried about being infected. Although worrying about being infected by coronavirus affected symptoms of depressive, anxiety and somatic, feeling life-threatening of coronavirus disease affected symptoms of anxiety and somatic. The factors associated with depression were following;females (OR, 3.85, p= 0.001), being married (OR, 2.35, P=0.049), and no physical exercise (OR, 3.02, p=0.008). As to somatic symptoms, being female (OR, 2.63, p= 0.013), living alone (OR, 2.66, p=0.016), having chronic diseases (OR, 4.31, p= 0.000), and no physical exercise (OR, 2.33, p=0.025) were found as the risk factors. Early psychosocial and psychotherapeutic interventions to these groups that have risk factors in terms of psychiatric symptoms might be beneficial in preventing the development of psychiatric symptoms in healthcare workers during outbreak. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Turkish) Bu calismanin amaci, saglik calisanlarinda depresif, anksiyete ve somatik belirtiler ile algilanan koronavirus tehdidini arastirmaktir. Calisma Istanbul'da yapilmistir. Calismaya cevrimici anketi dolduran 315 saglik calisani dahil edilmistir. Calismada olcme araci olarak katilimcilarin algilanan koronavirus hastaligi tehdit duzeyini tanimlayan maddeler ve demografik ozellikleri icern anket formu ile Hasta Saglik Anketi-9, Genellestirilmis Anksiyete Bozuklugu-7 ve Hasta Sagligi Anketi-15 kullanilmistir. Saglik calisanlarinin% 37,8'inde somatik belirtilerin klinik olarak anlamli derecede yuksek oldugu ve bunu sirasiyla% 34'inda depresyon ve % 23,5'inde anksiyete belirtilerinin izledigi tespit edilmistir. Bu calisma sonucuna gore, katilimcilarin% 77,8'inin koronavirus hastaligini yasami tehdit eden bir durum olarak hissettigini ve % 95,6'si enfekte olmaktan endise duydugunu saptanmistir. Koraviruse yakalanma endisesi depresif, anksiyete ve somatik semptomlari etkilese de, koronavirus hastaliginin yasami tehdit etmesi hissi anksiyete ve somatik semptomlari etkilemektedir. Depresyonla iliskili faktorler kadin olma (OR, 3,85, p = 0.001), evli olma (OR, 2,35, P = 0.049) ve fiziksel egzersiz yapma (OR, 3.02, p = 0.008) olarak tanimlanmistir. Somatik belirtiler icin de kadin olmak (OR, 2,63, p = 0,013), yalniz yasamak (OR, 2,66, p = 0,016), kronik hastaligi olmak (OR, 4,31, p = 0,000) ve fiziksel egzersiz yapmamak (OR, 2,33, p = 0,025) risk faktoru olarak bulunmustur. Psikiyatrik belirtiler acisindan risk faktorleri olan bu gruplara erken donem psikososyal ve psikoterapotik mudahaleler, salgin sirasinda saglik calisanlarinda psikiyatrik belirti gelisimini onlemede faydali olabilecegi dusunulmektedir. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Aversion amplification in the emerging COVID-19 pandemic: The impact of political trust and subjective uncertainty on perceived threat

Health psychology shows that responses to risk and threat depend on perceptions as much as objective factors. The present study focuses on the precursors of perceived threat of COVID-19. We draw on political and social psychology and use the aversion amplification hypothesis to propose that subjective uncertainty and political trust should interactively impact perceived threat. We conducted a cross-sectional survey amongst the general population of Scotland (N = 188) in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. We hypothesised that high political trust should ameliorate the threat-elevating impact of uncertainty, thereby reducing the perceived threat from a high to moderate level. This hypothesis was supported, even after accounting for demographic differences. The discussion addresses the implications of the interactive role of trust and uncertainty for strategies to manage public behaviour as the pandemic progresses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The Impact of Socioeconomic Status, Perceived Threat and Healthism on Vaccine Hesitancy

The ideology of healthism and low perceptions of the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases may explain the positive link between socioeconomic status (SES) and vaccine hesitancy in high-income countries. The present study aimed to examine the effect of three measures of SES (education, income and family economic status), the perceived threat of infectious diseases and two dimensions of healthism (personal responsibility for own health and distrust in healthcare institutions) on vaccine hesitancy, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. A cross-sectional quantitative study was performed in 2019. Non-probability sampling was employed by sending invitations to respondents over the age of 18 to participate in the study. The snowball technique was used, employing e-mails and digital social networks (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). Data from 661 respondents were collected via 1 ka.si, an online survey tool. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that vaccine hesitancy was significantly more likely to be expressed by women (β = 0.09;p < 0.001), high-income respondents (β = 0.09;p < 0.01), those who have lower perceptions of the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases (β = 0.39;p < 0.001) and those scoring high on two healthism measures (expressing high perceived control of their own health (β = 0.18;p < 0.001) and high distrust in the Slovenian healthcare system and institutions (β = 0.37;p < 0.001)). The findings indicate that among the examined predictors, low perceived threat of vaccine-preventable diseases and low trust in the healthcare system are among the strongest predictors of vaccine hesitancy among the Slovenian public. Policymakers, physicians and other healthcare workers should be especially attentive to the public's and patients' perceptions of the risk of infectious diseases and distrust in medical institutions, including during doctor–patient communication and through public health campaigns and policies.

Antecedents and intervention mechanisms of institutional distrust of P2P accommodations during COVID-19 in China

PurposeCOVID-19 affects the peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation industry. With regard to prospect theory, individuals' negative emotions, such as institutional distrust, are easily evoked and impede consumption intention in an environment of permeating uncertainty and risks. While existing research indicates the negative effects of institutional distrust, scant research has explored its antecedents and intervention mechanisms. This study thus aims to unveil the influencing factors and explore mitigating mechanisms of customers' institutional distrust of P2P accommodations.Design/methodology/approachOnline reviews data were used to identify the underlying critical issues. The authors developed a model to depict how institutional distrust is formed under the boundary condition of subjective norm by the results. The model was verified using a questionnaire survey. Finally, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to ensure its robustness.FindingsThe external environment and internal platform effectiveness are two critical aspects affecting institutional distrust of P2P accommodations. The external environment influences institutional distrust through perceived threat, explaining the formation mechanism of customers' institutional distrust through customers' internal psychology. Furthermore, the authors found subjective norm moderating the effect of perceived threat on customers' institutional distrust.Research limitations/implicationsThis is one of the first studies, to the best of the authors' knowledge, to explore institutional distrust of P2P accommodations after COVID-19. The finding contributes to studies on P2P accommodation by uncovering the contingent role of subjective norm in influencing customers' institutional distrust.Originality/valueThis is a pioneering study that explores the antecedents and mitigating mechanisms of institutional distrust of P2P accommodations during the new normal of COVID-19.

Untangling the effect of cognitive trust and perceived value on health-related information seeking, sharing and psychological well-being: Motivations sought perspective

Previous literature has documented that mobile application utilization increased exponentially throughout the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. To comprehend the possible antecedents of individuals' psychological well-being, this research invokes motivation theory and associated literature on perceived assessment (cognitive trust, perceived value, and perceived threat) to comprehensively investigate the determinants of factors influencing mobile app users' health-related information behaviors and psychological outcomes. Data were gathered collected from 898 users of mobile apps, and this article adopted structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the hypothesis generation model. Obtained findings demonstrated that cognitive trust and perceived value positively impacted seeking and sharing health-related information, which subsequently benefited individuals' psychological well-being during the public health crisis. Furthermore, perceived threat exerted a negative impact on seeking and sharing health-related information. These results contribute to existing studies on psychological well-being by broadening the antecedence domain of information practices and revealing the underlying psychological mechanism behind this dynamic process. This study could also benefit practitioners by providing insights into embedded system and mobile app development, which would play a pivotal role in enhancing user experiences that optimize psychological well-being. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

The effect of perceived threat on online service reviews

PurposeThe ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent perception of threat have shifted consumer perceptions and evaluations of service experiences. This paper aims to investigate how customers' service evaluation is shared as customer reviews following the pandemic and the heightened perception of threat. In doing so, this research particularly investigates the shifts in the textual contents of online reviews.Design/methodology/approachThis study used the textual contents in the online reviews posted on Hotels.com for 1,497 hotels in New York City for empirical analysis. In total, 109,190 observations were used for the analysis.FindingsBy analyzing actual online review data from an online review platform for hotel services, this study finds that the text reviews generated after the pandemic outbreak tend to contain words with stronger negative emotions. In terms of the pronoun choice, this study further finds that the use of "I” increases while the use of "we” decreases.Originality/valueThis research adds to the existing literature on service evaluation and online customer reviews by showing that there are shifts in the expressions used to communicate service evaluation through online text reviews, including the degree of emotionality and pronoun usage. Because potential customers are likely to rely on online reviews for their own decisions, the findings suggest that it is important for practitioners to be aware of such shifts and respond accordingly.

Antecedents of Mental Disorder among Physically Inactive Employees Study of Jordanian Higher Education Institutions: Mediated Moderation of Perceived Threat of Covid-19 and Psychological Capital

This study aimed at identifying the antecedents and explaining the unexplored path of mental disorder among the physically inactive individuals. Grounded in social cognitive theory and social exchange theory, this cross sectional field study with convenient sampling examines stress, anxiety, depression, and mental disorder in 377 survey respondents from Jordanian higher education institutions. Additionally, moderating effect of psychological capital and the mediating effect of perceived COVID-19 threat was assessed. Results from Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) indicate that the direct links between stress, anxiety, depression on mental disorder were significant. Further using PLS mediated moderation analysis the moderating effect of psychological capital and mediating effect of perceived COVID-19 threat was proved in Jordanian sample. The study is incremental to suggest future research directions and policy insights for developing countries and specifically these findings are vital for clinical psychologists and practitioners working in Jordanian setting. © 2023,Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences.All Rights Reserved.

Keep me updated! Social support as a coping strategy to reduce the perceived threat caused by the cognitive availability of COVID-19 relevant information.

The enormous amount of information about the COVID-19 pandemic in newspapers, TV channels, or social media reminds people every day of the potential threat the virus posed to their health and well-being in 2020. We examined if the cognitive availability of COVID-19 leads to the perception of heightened threat facilitating coping strategies and the moderating role of global self-efficacy and intolerance of uncertainty. A total of 235 participants randomly received either a newspaper article about the COVID-19 virus or Germany's soil condition and were asked to indicate their current level of the perceived threat of the virus and the use of different coping strategies. Results indicate that the cognitive availability of COVID-19 information leads to a higher perceived threat, leading to more seeking for social support. Although neither self-efficacy nor intolerance of uncertainty moderates the effect of cognitive availability on the perceived threat, both personality characteristics moderated the relationship between perceived threat and different coping strategies. We discuss our results in line with current research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on coping strategies and well-being.

The Impact of Power Distance Beliefs on Resistance Toward AI (vs Human Service): An Abstract

With the rapid advances of technology enabled healthcare services in the last few decades, Artificial intelligence (AI) can provide cost-effective healthcare services with equal precision to human expert-delivered health services (Chatterjee, 2019). AI can diagnose various diseases and provides medical suggestions which may help to enhance patients' well-being. For example, AI can readily track Covid-19 patients and assists with infection management by providing real-time data (Vaishya et al., 2020). However, many customers have shown their apathy to adopt AI-enabled patient care services. This research investigates why customers resist to adopt AI delivered patient services. Using identity process theory, this study demonstrates that power distance belief (PDB) dimension influences customers to resist AI delivered health services. We reason that people with high PDB demonstrate resistance toward AI delivered health services because they believe that AI may fail to consider their unique problems. Consequently, their uniqueness motives get activated and create anxiety among them, resulting in resistance toward AI delivered medical services. Further, this study proposes a boundary condition for this effect. We argue that when high (vs low) PDB people perceive threat, they demonstrate lower need for uniqueness. However, when they don't perceive threat, they show higher need for uniqueness. To examine our assertions above, we used 2 (PDB: High vs Low) × 2 (Perceived threat: present vs control) between subject experimental design. Findings demonstrate that people with high PDB show less need for uniqueness when they perceive threat, which impact their adoption of AI delivered health services. However, they demonstrate higher need for uniqueness in the control condition. Results show the importance of threat in consumer decisions as well as the need to emphasize on the tailored and individualized care in the AI delivered health services to enhance customers' preference. These results have important implications for healthcare marketers, as customers with high PDB resist AI delivered health services for their preference toward equality. Therefore, hospitals can design AI delivered health services in a way that attenuates customers' concerns for their uniqueness. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

What drives the vaccination intention against COVID-19? Application of EPPM, TAM, and theories of risk assessment.

Vaccines are widely used to fight against COVID-19. However, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy appears as some individuals are concerned with COVID-19 vaccines. This study investigates the vaccination intention against COVID-19 in China with the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and theories of risk information assessment. Results showed that the formation mechanism of vaccination intention could be considered a psychological process, as subjective knowledge was a primary influence on correspondents' weighting of both the potentially positive (usefulness) and negative effects (threat) of vaccination. This unequal consideration then resulted in different levels of fear arousal between subjects. Driven by usefulness/threat perception and fear, people conducted different decision strategies, so-called analytical assessment, and experiential assessment to make vaccination decision. In addition to the direct effects of experiential assessment on vaccination intention, two decision strategies and fear arousal also affected people's vaccination intention through the mediation role of vaccination attitude. For policymakers and stakeholders, this study provides a knowledge base for confidence-building, and emotional guidance concerning against COVID-19 vaccination.

Repercussions of perceived threat to health in the Spanish population.

Studies have shown that COVID-19 has had a worldwide psychological impact. Confinement due to COVID-19 has had important repercussions on the mental health of the general population, with high levels of stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder, and so forth. Similarly, important labor, economic and social changes taking place are affecting people's well-being. The objective of this study was to analyze the repercussions of perceived threat from COVID-19 on the mental health of the population, and to evaluate the mediating role of perceived economic impact. The participants were 1160 adult residents of Spain aged 18 to 82, 69.9% of whom were women. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Questionnaire on Perception of Threat from COVID-19 and the General Health Questionnaire were administered. Perceived threat had a positive direct effect on all four health dimensions analyzed. Among the indirect effects, the perceived economic impact of COVID-19 mediated in the relationship between perceived threat and each of the health dimensions. The results of this study have demonstrated the need to promote joint action promoting public mental health to minimize the psychological repercussions of new outbreaks.

Motives for security and sexual activity among single individuals at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Amidst a global pandemic, survival needs become salient and the ability of individuals to regulate feelings and actions might be particularly relevant to protecting themselves from harm. Drawing from Regulatory Focus Theory individuals who are more focused on prevention are also more likely to enact health-protective behaviours, including sexual health behaviours, because they are more aware of threats. Extending this reasoning to the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a pre-registered longitudinal study with 174 individuals from 23 countries (M age = 30.66, SD = 11.81;77.6% women), to examine the role of regulatory focus in predicting the sexual activity of single individuals. We assessed demographic information, regulatory focus, and personality traits at baseline (T1), perceived threats two weeks later (T2), and sexual activity indicators two weeks later (T3). As hypothesised, results showed that single individuals who reported a greater focus on prevention at the onset of the pandemic perceived more pandemic-related threats and, in turn, reported less frequent sexual activity. These effects were consistent even when controlling for promotion (i.e. pleasure motives), personality, geographic location, local social distancing policies, gender, and sexual orientation. Findings are discussed considering their implications for the sexual functioning and sexual health of single individuals. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keeping each other safe: A social identity account of Canadian responses to COVID-19

Community mitigation strategies in a pandemic rely largely on individuals' voluntary compliance with public health measures (e.g., social and physical distancing). That these measures are crucial from a societal and community perspective-not just as means of self-protection-suggests that a sense of solidarity encourages their adoption by individuals. We conceptualized Canadians' responses early in the COVID-19 crisis as a form of collective action motivated by the perceived threat of the novel coronavirus, national identification, and efficacy beliefs (e.g., people's sense that their actions would make a difference in "flattening the curve" of infections). Analyses of responses of a cross-sectional sample of Canadians (N = 499) in April 2020 provided support for effects derived from this social identity account: perceived threat predicted Canadian national identification, and both threat and identification were positively associated with efficacy beliefs, which in turn predicted endorsement of public health measures. We highlight the roles of social identification and efficacy beliefs with a focus on how they might be incorporated into public health messaging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (French) Les strategies communautaires d'attenuation des effets d'une pandemie reposent en grande partie sur l'adhesion de la population aux mesures de sante publique (par exemple, la distanciation sociale et physique). Le fait que ces mesures soient cruciales d'un point de vue societal et communautaire-et pas seulement comme moyen d'autoprotection-suggere qu'un sentiment de solidarite favorise leur adoption par les individus. Nous avons conceptualise les reponses des Canadiens au debut de la crise de la COVID-19 comme une forme d'action collective motivee par la menace percue du nouveau coronavirus, l'identification nationale et les sentiments d'auto-efficacite (par exemple, le sentiment des gens que leurs actions feraient une difference pour << aplanir la courbe des infections). Les analyses des reponses d'un echantillon transversal de Canadiens (N = 499) en avril 2020 ont confirme les effets derives de ce concept d'identite sociale : la menace percue a predit l'identification nationale canadienne, et la menace et l'identification ont ete positivement associees aux sentiments d'auto-efficacite, qui a leur tour ont predit l'adoption des mesures de sante publique. Nous soulignons les roles de l'identification sociale et des sentiments d'auto-efficacite en nous concentrant sur la facon dont ils pourraient etre incorpores dans les messages de sante publique. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Successful responses to the COVID-19 crisis required widespread acceptance of public health measures such as social distancing. This study showed that Canadians' endorsement of these measures was related to the perceived threat of the novel coronavirus, their national identification, and their sense that their own behaviours would make a difference in "flattening the curve" of infections. Thus, public health messages that highlight solidarity and collective responsibility may be effective means of encouraging compliance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Antecedents and intervention mechanisms of institutional distrust of P2P accommodations during COVID-19 in China

PurposeCOVID-19 affects the peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation industry. With regard to prospect theory, individuals' negative emotions, such as institutional distrust, are easily evoked and impede consumption intention in an environment of permeating uncertainty and risks. While existing research indicates the negative effects of institutional distrust, scant research has explored its antecedents and intervention mechanisms. This study thus aims to unveil the influencing factors and explore mitigating mechanisms of customers' institutional distrust of P2P accommodations. Design/methodology/approachOnline reviews data were used to identify the underlying critical issues. The authors developed a model to depict how institutional distrust is formed under the boundary condition of subjective norm by the results. The model was verified using a questionnaire survey. Finally, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to ensure its robustness. FindingsThe external environment and internal platform effectiveness are two critical aspects affecting institutional distrust of P2P accommodations. The external environment influences institutional distrust through perceived threat, explaining the formation mechanism of customers' institutional distrust through customers' internal psychology. Furthermore, the authors found subjective norm moderating the effect of perceived threat on customers' institutional distrust. Research limitations/implicationsThis is one of the first studies, to the best of the authors' knowledge, to explore institutional distrust of P2P accommodations after COVID-19. The finding contributes to studies on P2P accommodation by uncovering the contingent role of subjective norm in influencing customers' institutional distrust. Originality/valueThis is a pioneering study that explores the antecedents and mitigating mechanisms of institutional distrust of P2P accommodations during the new normal of COVID-19.

Effect of restaurant consumers' anticipated emotions on perceived value and behavioral intention in the COVID-19 context.

While hospitality scholars have been conducting research on post-pandemic consumption recovery, the impact of the psychological consequences of COVID-19 on consumers' post-pandemic behavior remains insufficiently addressed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among anticipated emotions, perceived value, perceived threat, and dining-out intention in the COVID-19 context. In this study, 621 restaurant consumers in China were surveyed and the data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results suggested that positive anticipated emotions affect perceived hedonic, utilitarian, and social values, whereas negative anticipated emotions affect hedonic value. Hedonic and utilitarian values then influence dining-out intention. Perceived threat in terms of perceived severity and susceptibility to COVID-19 was explored to moderate the impacts of hedonic and social values on the intention. This study contributes to the literature by identifying the positive, distinct roles of both anticipated emotions on consumer dining-out intention through perceived values and threats during the early recovery of COVID-19.

What drives people's protective behaviors during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

This study systematically examined people's protective behaviors against COVID-19 in China, and particular attention was given to people's perceived threat and information-processing strategies. This study constructed a conceptual model and used structural equation modeling to explore this issue, and a questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data involving 4,605 participants during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The results showed that people's initial information acquisition played an essential role in their behavioral responses; acquiring more initial information about COVID-19 would make them perceive a higher threat and present a higher demand for information, then making them more likely to seek and process information, and subsequently motivating their protective behaviors. In addition to increasing people's information needs, the perceived threat could also strengthen the analytical assessment and affect protective behavior positively but failed to predict the experiential assessment. Driven by information need, information seeking significantly influenced protective behavior; it also facilitated analytical assessment and decreased experiential assessment, thus predicting people's protective behaviors. Protective behaviors were spurred by analytical assessment but negatively influenced by the experiential assessment.

Impact of National Pandemic Lockdowns on Perceived Threat of Immigrants: A Natural Quasi-Experiment Across 23 Countries

Xenophobia and anti-immigrant attacks rose during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet this may not be solely due to the disease threat. According to theories of frustration and scapegoating, situational obstructions and deprivation can motivate prejudice against outgroups. Using a global natural quasi-experimental design, this study tests whether the restrictiveness of national lockdowns can explain higher individual-level perceptions of immigrant threat. Data of 45,894 participants from 23 countries were analyzed. Both lockdown duration and lockdown severity were positively associated with individuals' perceived threat of immigrants. The lockdown effects were independent of objective and subjective measures of disease threat, and there was no evidence that disease threat drives people's prejudice toward immigrants. Subgroup analysis suggested the lockdown effects were reliable in Europe and the Americas, but not in Asia. These findings suggest a need to mitigate frustration and scapegoating when implementing lockdowns, and to distinguish the influence of societal restrictions from disease threat.

Understanding residents’ hospitality toward tourists amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a conservation of resources perspective

Rooted in conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study investigated the effects of perceived threat severity (PTSE) and susceptibility (PTSU) of COVID-19 pandemic on residents’ hospitality toward tourists. The mediating role of COVID-19-caused stress and the moderating role of economic benefits from tourism were addressed. Data were collected from 281 destination residents in Xiamen and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings indicate that the negative effect of PTSE on residents’ hospitality toward tourists is stronger than that of PTSU, and both effects are partially mediated by COVID-19-caused stress. Furthermore, economic benefits from tourism significantly moderates the effects of PTSE, PTSU, and COVID-19-caused stress on residents’ hospitality toward tourists, and these effects are insignificant for residents with high economic benefits from tourism. Theoretically, this study advances literature on residents’ attitudes toward tourism by introducing COR theory to build a framework centered on resource loss and replenishment. Practically, useful strategies are proposed to reduce the negative effects of PTSE and PTSU of COVID-19 pandemic and thus foster residents’ hospitality toward tourists. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Sustainable Tourism is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)