This open acess book focuses on a critical aspect of pandemic behavior, which is how important information is communicated. It examines how the press and other entities may bias the dissemination of this information, and what may be done to counteract this tendency. Covering theory and research in this area, the book applies these to practical considerations that may be utilized in times of health crisis. It lays the groundwork for understanding how irrationality becomes a factor. It explores the positive and negative aspects of illusion creating and provides tools for moving more quickly to resolution.
Author(s): Wojciech Kulesza, Dariusz Doliński
Series: SpringerBriefs in Psychology
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 101
City: Cham
Preface
Endorsements
Contents
About the Authors
Chapter 1: The Unbearable Darkness of Being and a Toolkit for How We Forge It: Comparative Biases
1.1 Realism, Illusions, or Even Delusions?
1.2 Social Comparison and Egotism
1.3 Better-than-Average Effect
1.4 Unrealistic Optimism
Chapter 2: How Did We Forge a Bearable Reality in COVID-19? Biases in Social Comparative Judgments in a Time of Pervasive Threat
2.1 Dynamics of Unrealistic Optimism in a Time of Pervasive Threat
2.2 The Better-than-Average Effect in a Time of Pervasive Threat
Chapter 3: Time to Worry? Comparative Biases and Health-Related Behaviors in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic
3.1 Unrealistic Pessimism
3.2 Unrealistic Optimism: Pre-pandemic Research
3.3 Unrealistic Optimism in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic
3.4 Better than Average
Chapter 4: Time to Act! Means of Reducing Positive Illusions
4.1 You Are Not Exceptional, Not at All!
4.2 Don’t Look Away: Think About the Danger!
4.3 Chameleon? Failed!
4.4 Media Intervention Program
4.5 Teach and Learn?
Chapter 5: Time to Bother! Longitudinal Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic (and Others Too): Why Dismantling Social Cognition Biases Is Absolutely Crucial to Save Not Only Lives
5.1 Psychological and Psychiatric Consequences
5.2 COVID-19 Pandemic = School Closures = Longitudinal Social Disaster
5.3 Neurological Impact = Years of Cognitive Dysfunctions
Final Remarks: It’s Scary, but Manageable
References
Index
