Fear During Pandemic Promoted Holistic Cognitive Style: The Moderating Role of Uncertainty

• Published in: Emotion (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 2023-10, Vol.23 (7), p.1918-1928
• Main Authors: Zhou, Xiaoyu, Li, Xiaoyuan, Wu, Weiguo, Zhang, Xinyi, English, Alexander S., Peng, Kaiping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cognitive Style; COVID-19; Emotions; Fear; Female; Human; Male; Pandemics; Uncertainty
• ISSN: 1528-3542; 1931-1516; 1931-1516
• DOI: 10.1037/emo0001207

The present study explored the link between fear and holistic cognitive style and the moderating role of uncertainty. We examined these effects in a real-life situation: the long-term, global COVID-19 pandemic, which provided a natural context of fear and uncertainty. The current study comprises three studies recruiting N = 1,310 participants. Study 1 compared the link between fear and holistic style in the United States (a relatively uncertain situation presented by the COVID-19 pandemic) and China (a pandemic situation with relative certainty) in the early days of the pandemic. Study 2 examined the moderation effect of uncertainty in the relationship between fear and holistic style by manipulating participants into a fearful (vs. control) condition. Study 3 employed a longitudinal design to demonstrate the effect of fear-related emotions on holistic style change over a 3-month period. Across three studies, the moderation effect of uncertainty in the relationship between fear-related emotions and holistic style during the COVID-19 pandemic was consistently observed. In sum, this study provided an ecological and explanatory mechanism for understanding the impact of individuals' fear on holistic cognitive style.