Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

July 13, 2020

Working Memory Capacity Predicts Individual Differences in Social-Distancing Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States

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  • Xie et al. found that adherence to social distancing guidance among participants (2 study populations, n=397 and n-453) surveyed in mid– to late –March was associated with individual differences in working memory capacity, and was partly due to increased awareness of benefits over costs of social distancing. They defined memory capacity as the ability to simultaneously retain multiple pieces of information. This effect persisted after adjustment for other psychological and socioeconomic factors.

Xie et al. (July 2020). Working Memory Capacity Predicts Individual Differences in Social-Distancing Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States. PNAS. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2008868117