Identity resilience, uncertainty, personal risk, fear, mistrust and ingroup power influences upon COVID-19 coping

Abstract: A model of the relationships between social psychological factors that were influential in determining individual coping responses to the COVID-19 pandemic is presented here. The factors include identity resilience (as defined in identity process theory), uncertainty, perceived personal risk, fear, mistrust and ingroup power. These factors are significantly associated with each other. Higher identity resilience is associated with greater uncertainty, personal risk and fear, but with lower mistrust and ingroup power. Social representation and group identification processes also have important effects on individual coping, and are moderated by identity resilience. Implications of the model for developing future pandemic preparedness include the desirability of fostering greater identity resilience in those at risk and the value of ongoing targeting of information and social support to promote the development of more effective coping responses to fear, risk, uncertainty and mistrust.

Keywords: COVID-19 coping, identity resilience, uncertainty, risk, fear, mistrust, ingroup power

Article posted to the Journal of the British Academy, volume 11, supplementary issue 5 (Social Representation and Identity Processes in Relation to COVID-19 Reactions)