During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world urged people to practice social distancing to curb the spread of the virus. However, not everyone was equally willing to follow these recommendations. A new study has found that an individual’s personality traits and emotional intelligence play a crucial role in how they evaluate the benefits and costs of social distancing. COVID-19 pandemic and emotional intelligence were key factors in this study.
Personality Matters in Pandemic Response
The study, conducted by researchers from Sapienza University of Rome, explored the relationship between personality, emotional intelligence, and the subjective assessment of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. They found that people with higher levels of emotional stability and better emotion regulation skills were more likely to prioritize the benefits of social distancing over its personal costs.
On the other hand, highly extroverted individuals tended to view the costs of social distancing as outweighing the benefits. This aligns with previous research showing that extroverted people were less likely to comply with social distancing recommendations during the pandemic.
How Emotional Intelligence Plays a Role
The researchers also discovered that emotional intelligence mediated the relationship between personality traits and the evaluation of social distancing. Individuals with higher emotional intelligence, particularly in the areas of understanding and regulating their own emotions, were better able to appreciate the societal benefits of social distancing compared to the personal costs.
This suggests that emotional intelligence may be a crucial factor in determining how people respond to public health measures during a crisis. Those who are better equipped to recognize and manage their emotions may be more inclined to prioritize the greater good over their own immediate desires.
Implications for Communication and Interventions
These findings have important implications for how governments and public health authorities communicate with the public during pandemics. The study suggests that tailoring messaging and interventions to address individual differences in personality and emotional intelligence could be more effective in encouraging compliance with preventive behaviors.
For example, programs aimed at developing emotional intelligence skills, such as emotion regulation and self-awareness, may help individuals better navigate the challenges posed by social distancing and other public health measures. By understanding how personality and emotional factors influence people’s perceptions, policymakers can craft more targeted and effective strategies to promote collective well-being during health crises.
Author credit: This article is based on research by Alessandro Santirocchi, Pietro Spataro, Clelia Rossi-Arnaud, Antonino Esposito, Marco Costanzi, Federica Alessi, Vincenzo Cestari.
For More Related Articles Click Here
