baner
  1. Home
  2. Archives
  3. Vol. 66 No. 2 (2023): Individuals' reactions to threats from a psychological perspective
  4. Artykuły/Articles

COVID-19 pandemic and pollution of the environment – threat perception, willingness to incur economic costs, psychological resources, and behaviors

Grażyna Wąsowicz

Kozminski University, Department of Economic Psychology
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4769-8963



Abstract

Objectives: 1. Comparison of COVID-19 and environmental pollution threats perception, willingness to incur costs to protect against these threats, and perceptions of competence to counteract these threats. 2. Comparison of the pattern of relationships in the context of each of the threats between (a) threat perception and willingness to incur economic costs versus protective/preventive behaviors against the threat; (b) threat perception and willingness to incur costs versus protective/preventive behaviors; (c) psychological resources (life aspirations, perceived competence, and stress coping strategies) versus the willingness to incur costs and adopt protective/preventive behaviors.

Method: Three hundred people, 50% women and 50% men aged from 19 to 59 years (M = 39,79, SD = 11) participated in the online study. The following scales were used: COVID-19 threat perception (Cypryańska & Nezlek, 2020) and willingness to incur costs of acting against COVID-19 (Cypryańska & Nezlek, 2020), both applied also in the context of environmental pollution threat; Coping strategies inventory (Addison et al., 2007); Life aspirations index-23 (Grouzet et al., 2005), and scales of perceived competence of protection against COVID-19 and changing consumption behavior (inspired by Williams et al., 1998). The predicted variables were protective behaviors against COVID-19 and preventive behaviors that reduce environmental pollution.

Results: The perceived threat of environmental pollution, willingness to incur economic costs, and competence were all rated higher than the COVID-19 threat. The relationship patterns in models of threats showed similarities as well as differences. The perception of threats to the individual and the world, community contributions as a life goal, perceived competence, and stress-coping strategies were associated with behavior change.

Conclusion: Each threat has its specificity that should be considered when searching for predictors of various aspects of individuals' functioning and developing communication strategies to change behaviors.


Keywords:

COVID-19, economic costs, environmental pollution, psychological resources, stress, threat


Addison, C. C., Campbell-Jenkins, B. W., Sarpong, D. F., Kibler, J., Singh, M., Dubbert, P., Wilson, G., Payne, T., & Taylor, H. (2007). Psychometric evaluation of a Coping Strategies Inventory Short-Form (CSI-SF) in the Jackson Heart Study cohort. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 4(4), 289–295. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph200704040004
Crossref   Google Scholar

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Crossref   Google Scholar

Aldwin, C. A. (2000). Stress, coping and development: An integrative perspective. Guildford Press.   Google Scholar

APS (Australian Psychological Society). (n.d.). Coping and adapting to climate change. Retrieved August 10, 2023, from: https://psychology.org.au/community/advocacy-social-issues/environment-climate-change-psychology/resources-for-psychologists-and-others-advocating/coping-and-adapting-to-climate-change   Google Scholar

Bish, A., & Michie, S. (2010). Demographic and attitudinal determinants of protective behaviours during a pandemic: A review. British Journal of Health Psychology, 15, 797–824. https://doi.org/10.1348/135910710X485826
Crossref   Google Scholar

Bonneville-Roussy, A., Evans, P., Verner-Filion, J., Vallerand, R. J., & Bouffard, T. (2017). Motivation and coping with the stress of assessment: Gender differences in outcomes for university students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 48, 28–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2016.08.003
Crossref   Google Scholar

Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Weintraub, J. K. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2), 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.56.2.267
Crossref   Google Scholar

Cheng, C., Ying, W., Ebrahimi, O. V., & Wong, K. F. E. (2023). Coping style and mental health amid the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A culture-moderated meta-analysis of 44 nations. Health Psychology Review, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2023.2175015
Crossref   Google Scholar

Cypryańska, M., & Nezlek, J. B. (2020). Anxiety as a mediator of relationships between perceptions of the threat of COVID-19 and coping behaviors during the onset of the pandemic in Poland. PLOS ONE, 15(10), Article e0241464. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241464
Crossref   Google Scholar

Cypryańska, M., & Wójcik, A. (2022, April 11). Pandemia COVID-19 – szanse i wyzwania dla przemian społecznych w stronę zielonej transformacji [COVID-19 pandemic – opportunities and challenges for social changes towards green transformation] [lecture]. Zagrożenie COVID-19 oraz zagrożenie zmianą klimatu w świetle wyników badań psychologicznych, Warszawa, Polska [The threat of COVID-19 and the threat of climate change in the light of the results of psychological research, Warsaw, Poland].   Google Scholar

Darlington, R., & Hayes, A. F. (2017). Regression analysis and linear models: concepts, application, and implementation. Guilford Press.   Google Scholar

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Crossref   Google Scholar

Deci, E. L., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2004). Self-determination theory and basic need satisfaction: Understanding human development in positive psychology. Ricerche di Psicologia, 27(1), 23–40.   Google Scholar

Dragioti, E., Li, H., Tsitsas, G., Lee, K. H., Choi, J., Kim, J., Choi, Y. J., Tsamakis, K., Estradé, A., Agorastos, A., Vancampfort, D., Tsiptsios, D., Thompson, T., Mosina, A., Vakadaris, G., Fusar-Poli, P., Carvalho, A. F., Correll, C. U., Han, Y. J., Park, S., Il Shin, J., & Solmi, M. (2022). A large-scale meta-analytic atlas of mental health problems prevalence during the COVID-19 early pandemic. Journal of Medical Virology, 94(5), 1935–1949. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.27549
Crossref   Google Scholar

Grouzet, F. M., Kasser, T., Ahuvia, A., Dols, J. M., Kim, Y., Lau, S., Ryan, R. M., Saunders, S., Schmuck, P., & Sheldon, K. M. (2005). The structure of goal contents across 15 cultures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89(5), 800–816. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.89.5.800
Crossref   Google Scholar

Grunert, K. G., Janssen, M., Christensen, R. N., Teunissen, L., Cuykx, I., Decorte, P., & Reisch, L. A. (2022). “Corona cooking:” The interrelation between emotional response to the first lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and cooking attitudes and behaviour in Denmark. Food Quality and Preference, 96, Article 104425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104425
Crossref   Google Scholar

Hayes, A. F. (2012). Process: A versatile computational tool for observed variable mediation, moderation, and conditional process modelling (White paper). Retrieved June 20, 2023, from: http://www.afhayes.com/public/process.pdf. https://www.processmacro. org/index.html   Google Scholar

Hepburn, C., O’Callaghan, B., Stern, N., Stiglitz, J., & Zenghelis, D. (2020). Will COVID-19 fiscal recovery packages accelerate or retard progress on climate change? Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 36, Issue Supplement_1, 359–381. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/graa015
Crossref   Google Scholar

Johnston, M., & Johnston, D. (1998). Assessment and measurement issues. In A. S. Bellack & M. Hersen (Eds.), Comprehensive Clinical Psychology, Vol. 8 (pp. 113–135). Pergamon.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (1996). Further examining the American dream: Differential correlates of intrinsic and extrinsic goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 280–287.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (2001). Be careful what you wish for: Optimal functioning and the relative attainment of intrinsic and extrinsic goals. In P. Schmuck & K. M. Sheldon (Eds.), Life goals and well-being: Towards a positive psychology of human striving (pp. 116–131). Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.   Google Scholar

Latkin, C., Dayton, L., Scherkoske, M., Countess, K., & Thrul, J. (2022). What predicts climate change activism? An examination of how depressive symptoms, climate change distress, and social norms are associated with climate change activism. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 8, Article 100146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2022.100146
Crossref   Google Scholar

Lazarus, R., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer.   Google Scholar

Rosenthal, J. A. (1996). Qualitative descriptors of strength of association and effect size. Journal of Social Service Research, 21(4), 37–59.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Ntoumanis, N., Edmunds, J., & Duda, J. L. (2009). Understanding the coping process from a self-determination theory perspective. British Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 249–260. https://doi.org/10.1348/135910708X349352
Crossref   Google Scholar

Rubin, G. J., Amlôt, R., Page, L., & Wessely, S. (2009). Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak: Cross sectional telephone survey. BMJ, 339, Article b2651. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2651
Crossref   Google Scholar

Searle, K., & Gow, K. (2010). Do concerns about climate change lead to distress? International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 2(4), 362–379. https://doi.org/10.1108/17568691011089891
Crossref   Google Scholar

Stach, R. (2006). Optymizm. Badania nad optymizmem jako mechanizmem adaptacyjnym [Optimism. Research on optimism as an adaptation mechanism]. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego.   Google Scholar

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. Science, 185, 1124–1130.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Wąsowicz, G. (2022, April 11). Pandemia COVID-19 i zanieczyszczenie środowiska. Percepcja zagrożeń, gotowość ponoszenia kosztów ekonomicznych w walce z nimi, zachowania i potrzebne zasoby psychologiczne [lecture]. Zagrożenie COVID-19 oraz zagrożenie zmianą klimatu w świetle wyników badań psychologicznych, Warszawa, Polska [The threat of COVID-19 and the threat of climate change in the light of the results of psychological research, Warsaw, Poland].
Crossref   Google Scholar

Wąsowicz, G., & Poleszczuk, J. (2021). Sociological and psychological view on selected determinants of behaviour change and non-change in Covid Times. In International Panel on Behavior Change. COVID-19: Introduction to IPBC Issues, online (pp. 53–63). https://www.ipbc.science/about-us/reports/thematic-report-1-covid/   Google Scholar

WHO. (2022). https://www.who.int/news/item/03-06-2022-why-mental-health-is-a-priority-for-action-on-climate-change   Google Scholar

Williams, G. C., & Deci, E. L. (1996). Internalization of biopsychosocial values by medical students: A test of self-determination theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(4), 767–779. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.70.4.767
Crossref   Google Scholar

Williams, G. C., Freedman, Z.R., & Deci, E. L. (1998). Supporting autonomy to motivate glucose control in patients with diabetes. Diabetes Care, 21, 1644–1651.
Crossref   Google Scholar

Zawadzka, A. M., Duda, J., Rymkiewicz, R., & Kondratowicz, B. (2015). Siedmiowymiarowy model aspiracji życiowych Kassera i Ryana. Analiza trafności i rzetelności narzędzia [Seven-dimensional model of life aspirations by Kasser and Ryan: analysis of validity and reliability of the instrument]. Psychologia Społeczna [Social Psychological Bulletin], 10(1), 100–111. https://doi.org/10.7366/1896180020153207   Google Scholar

Życińska, J., & Heszen, I. (2009). Resources, coping with stress, positive emotions, and health. Introduction. Polish Psychological Bulletin, 40(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.2478/s10059-009-0001-7
Crossref   Google Scholar

Download


Published
2023-12-17

Cited by

Wąsowicz, G. (2023). COVID-19 pandemic and pollution of the environment – threat perception, willingness to incur economic costs, psychological resources, and behaviors. The Review of Psychology, 66(2), 171–188. https://doi.org/10.31648/przegldpsychologiczny.9807

Grażyna Wąsowicz 
Kozminski University, Department of Economic Psychology
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4769-8963








Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Warmińsko-Mazurskiego w Olsztynie

ul. Heweliusza 14,
10-724 Olsztyn,
tel. (089) 523 36 61; fax (089) 523 34 38,
e-mail: wydawca@uwm.edu.pl

Copyright

Copyright 2021 by Uniwersytetu Warmińsko Mazurskiego w Olsztynie
OJS Support and Customization by LIBCOM
Platform & workfow by OJS/PKP

DEKLARACJA DOSTĘPNOŚCI