Paper Example on COVID-19: Examining Attitudes & Behaviour During a Pandemic

Introduction

A pandemic called COVID-19 emerged last year, 2019. The disease was first diagnosed in Wuhan, China. There have been controversies surrounding the cause of the disease, which affect the human respiratory system: the human lungs. Most countries have adopted restrictive measures such as full or partial lockdown to control the disease spread. The attitude of people also differs due to some psychological, social or even biological reasons. This paper examines the attitude and behavior of people during the Covid-19 pandemic using different theories.

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Attribution Theory

Attribution theory is based on how an individual interprets their behavior and that of others (Barrett, 1962). Barret (1962) asserts that the traits of an individual that makes a person behave in a certain way are what Barrett describes as dispositional attributes. The behavior of a person is considerably associated with the inner-self, and that's what dictates how individuals behave. External factors that influence a person's behavior are what Barrett refers to as situational attributes.

In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are seen to have different behavior and attitude toward it. Their approach is negative and is associated with how it has affected their daily activities. The increasing number of victims has forced many countries to enforce lockdown in major cities to curb the spread. Some have embraced the lockdown while some have not. According to attribution theory, their behavior and attitude are attributed to their inner fear of contracting the disease. Outgoing people have found it hard to abide by the lockdown rules.

Evolution Theory

According to evolution theory, people, behavior varies and changes based on their surroundings. These changes determine how an individual adapts to the new environment (Savage & Grant, 1978). COVID-19 pandemic has created a unique environment for humans. The activities that they used to do before the epidemic have been affected. Shops, schools, markets, companies and business organizations have been closed. The open ones operate under laid rules and guidelines. It has made it hard for some individuals to adapt. There are people used to parting and working daily in their life, keeping themselves busy. The laid rules and regulations can not allow such activities. It explains why people have been found on the wrong side of the law. The lockdown and curfew laid rules restrict people from traveling in and out of some places, and they can only carry their activities within the stipulated time.

In relation to COVID-19, some people are finding it easy to adapt to this situation. The lockdown found other people in different towns, cities and countries and have been forced to stay there. They have to adjust to this new environment; some hare far away from their families and loved ones. According to evolution theory, natural selection has made this possible because human behavior is directly affected by the immediate environment, making it possible to cope.

Self-Awareness Theory

The art of evaluating ones-self is what is termed as self-awareness theory (Brook, 2001). It is based on people's experiences and observations. Based on self-awareness theory, humans tend to compare themselves with others, behave, and emulate from others. Since the coming of COVID-19, people have done some actions because someone else is doing so. The lockdown has seen to people correcting and emulating good behavior and character from other individuals. In relation to COVID-19, people have evaluated their response to know what they are doing wrong, compare with another person's behavior, and determine whether it is worth emulating.

Self-perception Theory

Self-perception theory ascribes to the notion that people are what they do. According to the theory, people evaluate their thoughts and attitudes to determine the motive behind some actions is explained as self-perception theory (James, 2007). In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been forced to spend time in their homes. According to self-perception theory, people have found time to reflect on their life and determine what they have not been doing right. If a person finds out what they have been doing wrong, they evaluate to determine the cause and why they have been doing wrong. Various evaluations of one-self have seen individuals correcting their ways and creating peace with others.

Social comparison theory

Social comparison theory explains how people evaluate their abilities and attitudes and compare it with that of others. According to this theory, a person examines other people's thoughts, skills and opinions; they get to understand their-selves better. In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the forced cancelation of events and activities has given people time to compare their achievements and abilities with others. This comparison makes one have a fundamental understanding and motive to surpass the achievements of others.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the influence of Covid-19 on human behavior and attitude has been both positive and negative. The attribution theory, evolution theory, self-awareness theory and self-perception theory offers an explanation of different behaviors and attributes that people portray during this pandemic time.

References

Barrett, H. O. (1962). Psychologists at work: Gaétan Daigle. The Canadian Psychologist, 3(3), 113–115. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0083389

Brook, A. (2001). Kant, self-awareness and self-reference. Advances in Consciousness Research Self-Reference and Self-Awareness, 9–30. https://doi.org/10.1075/aicr.30.04bro

James, L. (2007). Self-Perception Theory. Sage Journals, 31(9), 1157-1158. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195098891.003.0010

Social Comparison Theory | Psychology Today International. (2020). Retrieved 27 June 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/social-comparison-theory.

Savage, J., & Grant, V. (1978). An Introduction to Evolutionary Theory. Evolution, 32(4), 927. https://doi.org/10.2307/2407509