Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

October 1, 2020

The Emotional Path to Action: Empathy Promotes Physical Distancing and Wearing of Face Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • The emotion of empathy was linked to physical distancing and wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic among participants in the US, UK, and Germany. In June 2020, 1526 participants were randomized to (1) read an informative text about coronavirus [information only]; (2) read informative text about an immunocompromised woman with COVID-19 [information and empathy]; or (3) no text to read [control]. Participants in the empathy group reported significantly higher empathy levels and motivation to wear a mask than the information only and control groups.

Pfattheicher et al. (Sept 29, 2020). The Emotional Path to Action: Empathy Promotes Physical Distancing and Wearing of Face Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620964422