Fear of Covid-19: Insights from Evolutionary Behavioral Science.

Abstract

. Selective pressures have favored the evolution of a behavioral immune system that is separate from, and complementary to, the physiological immune system. The two systems interact in a complex way. The psychological mechanisms (i.e. disgust and fear) involved in the behavioral immune system impact also on aspects that pertain to social psychology (i.e. xenophobia, conformism, and authoritarianism). Acknowledging the existence of psychological and behavioral adaptations to avoid infection has important implications for public health programs, including the necessity of fighting stigma and the dubious utility of trauma debriefing for healthcare workers facing the COVID-19 emergency.

Topics & Concepts