Empathy can Prevent Spread of COVID-19

Empathy for vulnerable people in risk groups can motivate people to combat the COVID-19 pandemic actively, finds a new study.

Empathy for vulnerable population in risk groups motivates people to use face masks and keep social distance, so that they help to prevent the COVID-19 from the spread, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal Psychological Science.

"We note that empathy for the most vulnerable is an essential factor and that it can be used actively to fight the pandemic. I think that policymakers can utilize our new knowledge in their attempts to get more people to follow the guidelines and eventually save lives," states Stefan Pfattheicher, the lead author of the study.

Coronavirus
Coronaviruses infect animals, humans, and birds. Human coronaviruses, such as SARS, MERS, and 2019-nCoV cause respiratory distress and even death. The S protein is the infectious agent of the virus.

‘The more empathetic people are, the more likely they will maintain social distance and use face masks to prevent COVID-19 from spreading. ’

The researchers initially tested the link between participants' empathy and their attitude to social distancing. They examined this in two questionnaire-based studies in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany.

For example, on a scale from one to five, participants were questioned how concerned they are of those who are most vulnerable to the COVID-19. Subsequently, they were questioned about the extent to which they themselves avoid social contact due to the COVID-19. The connection is clear. The higher the empathy degree, the greater the focus on decreasing social contact.

Equally importantly, the study reveals that it is possible to induce empathy among people and thereby also make more people responsible for keeping social distance and wear face masks.

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"Our clear recommendation is that policymakers include this knowledge using empathy in their communication initiatives," states Michael Bang Petersen, the co-author of the scientific article.

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Source-Medindia

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