Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2025
11:18
Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
Published on: September 12, 2014
15.3K
Associations between COVID-19 risk perceptions, behavior intentions and worry.
Amanda J Dillard1, Jenna Lester1, Hope Holyfield1
1Department of Psychology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, United States.
Health Psychology Report
|December 12, 2023
Summary
Understanding COVID-19 risk perceptions is key for health behaviors. Feelings of risk most strongly predicted behavior intentions and worry, highlighting its importance.
Area of Science:
- Health Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Risk perception is a critical determinant of health behaviors.
- Different types of risk perceptions (numerical, verbal, comparative, feelings) of COVID-19 were examined.
- The study investigated the association between these perceptions and behavioral intentions, including vaccination.
Observation:
- Data were collected from U.S. college students (N=248) and general adults (N=300).
- Participants reported various COVID-19 risk perceptions, levels of worry, and intentions to engage in protective behaviors.
- Statistical analyses explored the relationships between different risk perception measures and outcomes.
Findings:
- All examined COVID-19 risk perceptions showed some relationship with behavioral intentions and worry.
- Feelings of risk emerged as the most potent and consistent predictor.
- Higher reported feelings of risk were directly associated with greater worry and stronger intentions for protective actions.
Implications:
- Measuring 'feelings of risk' offers a more accurate assessment of perceived COVID-19 threat than other perception types.
- Public health messaging could be optimized by focusing on evoking appropriate feelings of risk.
- Understanding subjective risk perception is crucial for designing effective health behavior interventions during pandemics.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Anxiety: Overview
278
Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
278
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder
135
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for at least six months, significantly interfering with daily functioning. Unlike situational anxiety, which arises in response to specific stressors, GAD often occurs without a clear cause. Individuals may experience disproportionate worry about work, health, or relationships. For instance, a person might continuously fear poor health despite normal medical evaluations or...
135
01:28Social Anxiety Disorder
34
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.
34
01:09Preparedness and Phobias
104
Human fear responses to certain stimuli, such as darkness, heights, deep water, and blood, can often arise despite the absence of direct negative experiences. This phenomenon is rooted in evolutionary psychology, which posits that humans have developed a predisposition to fear stimuli that historically posed significant survival threats. This predisposition, known as preparedness, suggests that early humans who developed a fear of potentially dangerous entities, such as venomous snakes and...
104
01:27Panic Disorder
114
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and sudden minutes-long episodes of intense fear, known as panic attacks. These attacks may feel like heart attacks and often happen without warning or a specific cause. They can include symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, trembling, sweating, dizziness, and a sense of helplessness. During a panic attack, individuals may feel as though they are experiencing a heart attack or are in a...
114
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.3K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.3K