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How national leaders keep 'us' safe: A longitudinal, four-nation study exploring the role of identity leadership as a predictor of adherence to COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions.
Frenzel, Svenja B; Haslam, S Alexander; Junker, Nina M; Bolatov, Aidos; Erkens, Valerie A; Häusser, Jan A; Kark, Ronit; Meyer, Ines; Mojzisch, Andreas; Monzani, Lucas; Reicher, Stephen D; Samekin, Adil; Schuh, Sebastian C; Steffens, Niklas K; Sultanova, Liliya; Van Dijk, Dina; van Zyl, Llewellyn E; van Dick, Rolf.
  • Frenzel SB; Department of Social Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany frenzel@psych.uni-frankfurt.de.
  • Haslam SA; School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
  • Junker NM; Department of Social Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
  • Bolatov A; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
  • Erkens VA; Department of Biochemistry, Astana Medical University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
  • Häusser JA; Department of Social Psychology, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Gießen, Germany.
  • Kark R; Department of Social Psychology, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Gießen, Germany.
  • Meyer I; Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
  • Mojzisch A; Business School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
  • Monzani L; School of Management Studies, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
  • Reicher SD; Psychology Department, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany.
  • Samekin A; Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
  • Schuh SC; School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
  • Steffens NK; School of Liberal Arts, M Narikbayev KAZGUU University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
  • Sultanova L; Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management, China Europe International Business School, Shanghai, China.
  • Van Dijk D; School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
  • van Zyl LE; Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Branch in Tashkent, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
  • van Dick R; Department of Health Systems Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
BMJ Open ; 12(5): e054980, 2022 05 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1832446
ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate whether citizens' adherence to health-protective non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic is predicted by identity leadership, wherein leaders are perceived to create a sense of shared national identity.

DESIGN:

Observational two-wave study. Hypotheses testing was conducted with structural equation modelling.

SETTING:

Data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, Germany, Israel and the USA in April/May 2020 and four weeks later.

PARTICIPANTS:

Adults in China (n=548, 66.6% women), Germany (n=182, 78% women), Israel (n=198, 51.0% women) and the USA (n=108, 58.3% women).

MEASURES:

Identity leadership (assessed by the four-item Identity Leadership Inventory Short-Form) at Time 1, perceived shared national identification (PSNI; assessed with four items) and adherence to health-protective NPIs (assessed with 10 items that describe different health-protective interventions; for example, wearing face masks) at Time 2.

RESULTS:

Identity leadership was positively associated with PSNI (95% CI 0.11 to 0.30, p<0.001) in all countries. This, in turn, was related to more adherence to health-protective NPIs in all countries (95% CI 0.03 to 0.36, 0.001≤p≤0.017) except Israel (95% CI -0.03 to 0.27, p=0.119). In Germany, the more people saw Chancellor Merkel as engaging in identity leadership, the more they adhered to health-protective NPIs (95% CI 0.04 to 0.18, p=0.002). In the USA, in contrast, the more people perceived President Trump as engaging in identity leadership, the less they adhered to health-protective NPIs (95% CI -0.17 to -0.04, p=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS:

National leaders can make a difference by promoting a sense of shared identity among their citizens because people are more inclined to follow health-protective NPIs to the extent that they feel part of a united 'us'. However, the content of identity leadership (perceptions of what it means to be a nation's citizen) is essential, because this can also encourage people to disregard such recommendations.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Male Language: English Journal: BMJ Open Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Bmjopen-2021-054980

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Male Language: English Journal: BMJ Open Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Bmjopen-2021-054980