Stroebe, Wolfgang, vanDellen, Michelle R., Abakoumkin, Georgios, Lemay, Edward P., schiavone, William M., Agostini, Maximilian, Belanger, J., Gützkow, Ben, Kreienkamp, Jannis, Reitsema, Anne M., and others. (2021) Politicization of COVID-19 health-protective behaviors in the United States: Longitudinal and cross-national evidence. PLoS ONE, 16 (10). Article Number e0256740. ISSN 1932-6203. (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0256740) (KAR id:100489)
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| Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256740 |
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Abstract
During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. conservative politicians and the media downplayed the risk of both contracting COVID-19 and the effectiveness of recommended health behaviors. Health behavior theories suggest perceived vulnerability to a health threat and perceived effectiveness of recommended health-protective behaviors determine motivation to follow recommendations. Accordingly, we predicted that—as a result of politicization of the pandemic—politically conservative Americans would be less likely to enact recommended health-protective behaviors. In two longitudinal studies of U.S. residents, political conservatism was inversely associated with perceived health risk and adoption of health-protective behaviors over time. The effects of political orientation on health-protective behaviors were mediated by perceived risk of infection, perceived severity of infection, and perceived effectiveness of the health-protective behaviors. In a global cross-national analysis, effects were stronger in the U.S. (N = 10,923) than in an international sample (total N = 51,986), highlighting the increased and overt politicization of health behaviors in the U.S.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| DOI/Identification number: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0256740 |
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology |
| Institutional Unit: | Schools > School of Psychology > Psychology |
| Former Institutional Unit: |
Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
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| Funders: | University of Kent (https://ror.org/00xkeyj56) |
| Depositing User: | Cassidy Rowden |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Mar 2023 15:52 UTC |
| Last Modified: | 22 Jul 2025 09:14 UTC |
| Resource URI: | https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/100489 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes) |
University of Kent Author Information
Chobthamkit, Phatthanakit.
| Creator's ORCID: | |
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| CReDIT Contributor Roles: |
Douglas, Karen.
| Creator's ORCID: |
 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0381-6924
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|---|---|
| CReDIT Contributor Roles: |
Sutton, Robbie M..
| Creator's ORCID: |
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1542-1716
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| CReDIT Contributor Roles: |
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