Values, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Social Distancing

Winner of the Judge’s Choice Award - 2nd place

Morgan Ferqueron

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced some ‘new normals’ into our lives in the form of social distancing. This study examines people’s attitudes and reactions during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. These attitudes and reactions were looked at through the context of personality factors (the Big Five), political factors (political orientation, right wing authoritarianism, and social dominance orientation), and demographic variables (religiosity). We are interested in seeing how these things related to the extent that participants viewed COVID-19 as a health threat to themselves or others. We also examined how participants’ social behavior changed in order to limit exposure to and spread of COVID-19 as well as how supportive participants were of canceling, restricting, or limiting events and gatherings.

• Morgan Ferqueron is a junior psychology major with a minor in child and family studies. She is a part of the honors college, honors college leadership council, Psi Chi, and Alpha Chi. She is also committee chair of the honors college newsletter, a LINK 101 Peer Leader, and a PSYC 101 Supplemental Instructor.