Optimism-pessimism, conspiracy theories and general trust as factors contributing
to COVID-19 related behavior - A cross-cultural study
#MMPMID32834280
Jovan?evi? A
; Mili?evi? N
Pers Individ Dif
2020[Dec]; 167
(?): 110216
PMID32834280
show ga
The main aim of this research was to examine the role of optimism-pessimism,
general trust and belief in conspiracy theories, in COVID-19 related fears,
preventive and hoarding behaviors. We also examined the role of different sources
of information in these relations. The convenience sample was used (N?=?412) and
it consisted of individuals from Serbia (N?=?292) and Latin-America (N?=?120).
Following instruments were used: The Life Orientation Test (Scheier, Carver, &
Bridges, 1994), Trust in people scale (Arbor, 1964), questions regarding fear,
source of information, preventive behaviors and conspiracy constructed for the
purposes of this research. The results suggest that fear of food shortage was the
most pronounces one in both samples, followed by fear for oneself and finally by
the fear for beloved others. Results suggest that optimists, those with high
level of general trust and those who do not believe in conspiracy theories show
lower level of fear and higher level of preventive behaviors. Pessimists on the
other hand, show higher level of fear. Fear was related to all information
sources suggesting that more information leads to higher intensity of fear -
except information from the president which did not show any effect.
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