The Psychological Science Accelerator's COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

Area of Science:

• Psychological Science
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid understanding of psychological factors influencing health behaviors.
• Large-scale data collection was crucial to assess interventions across diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing on behavioral intentions and affect.
• To provide a comprehensive dataset for secondary analysis on coping and self-determination during a global health crisis.

Main Methods:

• Coordinated three large-scale psychological studies with 73,223 participants globally (April-October 2020).
• Utilized experimental manipulations (framing, reappraisals, autonomy) and general health behavior questionnaires.
• Collected demographic, geographical, and cultural context data in 44 languages/dialects.

Main Results:

• Data collected on behavioral intentions, affective measures, and health prevention behaviors.
• Dataset includes raw and processed formats for extensive re-use.
• Facilitates exploration of psychological strategies across diverse global samples.

Conclusions:

• The dataset provides a valuable resource for understanding psychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Enables secondary analyses on framing, coping, and self-determination in a global context.
• Supports the development of evidence-based public health communication strategies.