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Research Article
Gul Deniz Salali
University College London
Corresponding Author
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This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
The majority of the studies to date have focused on the negative aspects of anxiety. Anxiety, however, is an evolved emotional response serving to decrease mortality risk. Pandemics are characterized by increased mortality risk coupled with future uncertainties, both of which result in heightened anxiety. Here, we examined the factors associated with anxiety levels and risk avoidance behaviours during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK (N = 1088) and Turkey (N = 3935). We asked how individual time perspectives (future orientation and present moment attention) affect anxiety in an uncertain time, and whether an elevated anxiety response reduces mortality risk by promoting risk avoidance behaviour. We found that people who were more future-oriented and less tolerant of uncertainties had higher levels of generalized and pandemic anxieties. Those with higher anxiety levels engaged in risk avoidance behaviours more frequently. Mindfulness reduced anxiety levels without reducing risk avoidance, suggesting that mindfulness-based therapies can be used to alleviate anxiety without interfering with the benefits of a healthy anxiety response. Trust in others reduced anxiety, but also reduced risk avoidant behaviour. Several behavioural and social factors contributed to the country-level differences in the overall anxiety levels and engagement in risk avoidance behaviours.
Keywords
anxiety, evolution, uncertainty, future orientation, mindfulness, COVID-19
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This is a preprint. It has not completed peer review.
Research Article
Gul Deniz Salali
University College London
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
Version 1
Posted 11 Mar, 2021
No community comments so far
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
The majority of the studies to date have focused on the negative aspects of anxiety. Anxiety, however, is an evolved emotional response serving to decrease mortality risk. Pandemics are characterized by increased mortality risk coupled with future uncertainties, both of which result in heightened anxiety. Here, we examined the factors associated with anxiety levels and risk avoidance behaviours during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK (N = 1088) and Turkey (N = 3935). We asked how individual time perspectives (future orientation and present moment attention) affect anxiety in an uncertain time, and whether an elevated anxiety response reduces mortality risk by promoting risk avoidance behaviour. We found that people who were more future-oriented and less tolerant of uncertainties had higher levels of generalized and pandemic anxieties. Those with higher anxiety levels engaged in risk avoidance behaviours more frequently. Mindfulness reduced anxiety levels without reducing risk avoidance, suggesting that mindfulness-based therapies can be used to alleviate anxiety without interfering with the benefits of a healthy anxiety response. Trust in others reduced anxiety, but also reduced risk avoidant behaviour. Several behavioural and social factors contributed to the country-level differences in the overall anxiety levels and engagement in risk avoidance behaviours.
Figure 1
Figure 2
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