Examining the Relationships between Individualism, Collectivism, Perceived Vulnerability, and Mental and Behavioral Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

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The COVID-19 pandemic has had massive global consequences that call for a better understanding of factors relating to people’s mental and behavioral responses. The present study explored factors that have been examined in past pandemics and expanded upon previous findings. We explored the links between individualistic/collectivistic orientations, germ aversion, and perceived infectability to individual worry and actions related to the pandemic. Using data collected via an online survey (N = 433, M age = 33.18, SD = 15.42), a series of hierarchical regressions and mediation tests were conducted. The results revealed that collectivistic orientation related to both actions and worry, and that worry mediated the association between collectivism and actions. Additionally, while germ aversion and perceived infectability were both significantly related to higher levels of worry, only germ aversion significantly related to higher levels of action-taking. Our findings suggest that messages centered around collectivistic values and germ aversion might improve adherence to public health guidelines.