The direct relationship between lockdown restrictions and infection rates boils down to people who are following guidelines verse those who are not. A cognitive researcher analyzes how personality types reveal if someone is a rule-breaker or a follower.
General guidelines are very simple: washing hands, physical distancing, and wearing a mask. However, so many Americans show different behaviors towards these guidelines. How does the 'Big Five' personality traits - extroversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism - influence people's behavior?
According to anthropologist Edward Hall, culture is the main factor influencing how people deal with personal space. In his concept called proxemics, he analyzes how personal space and territorial invasion is understood differently around the world.
At close proximity, activities such as touching and whispering occur while a distance of 1.5 to four feet is normal between friends communicating. The new guidelines of a six-foot physical distance are usually associated with interaction with an acquaintance or a stranger.
When proximity norms are violated, it's associated with the feeling of invaded territory. Now, invading one's territory is associated with the possibility of getting infected with coronavirus from someone else.
Because close proximity is a mindless habit, public waiting areas such as grocery lines have had to put 'stand here' guidelines for people. This way, people have been relearning subconscious behavior, yet some do it unwillingly.
The Big Five
One of the Big Five is conscientiousness or careful and mindful habits. These people would have most likely accepted and followed new guideline rules the fastest and easiest as taking caution is a part of their personality. They would also be more conscious about physical distancing - not violating the space of others while protecting their own personal space.
Those with openness are adventurous, intellectual, and artistic. These curious yet flexible individuals can cope with uncertainty better, such as the current pandemic, than those who stick to rigid routines and plans.
Next are the extroverts, who gain energy from interacting with others and have been struggling with self-isolation during quarantine. These people would have adjusted the situation by frequently connecting with others virtually and going out the moment that lockdown measures have been lifted.
Individuals with agreeableness are easily compliant as they lean towards being courteous and good-willed. Similar to those with conscientiousness, they would have followed the rules right away without complaining.
The fifth personality is neuroticism, which is equivalent to being impulsive due to negative emotions. Under stress, these people resort to wishful thinking and escapism. Moreover, they would negatively react to the pandemic expressing denial and breaking the rules.
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Personality Changes
There are other dark personalities that would lean toward violating pandemic safety guidelines. Narcissistic people and Machiavellians who only care about themselves at the cost of others. Those who are psychopathic would also easily disregard rules due to their lack of empathy.
Everyone possesses these various personality traits at different levels and may indicate which individuals would follow rules or break them. People's personalities evolve over time and could be changing as the pandemic is still on-going.
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