Need for cognitive closure and trust towards government predicting pandemic behavior and mental health: comparing United States and China

Residents of the United States and China have responded very differently to the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures. This study introduces the uncertainty reduction theory and the need for cognitive closure (NFC) framework into the context of a public health crisis and compares models acr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) N.J.), 2023-09, Vol.42 (26), p.22823-22836
Main Authors: Wang, Cixin, Tang, Ningyu, Zhen, Danlei, Wang, Xiaojing Romy, Zhang, Jingshu, Cheong, Yeram, Zhu, Qianyu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Behavioral Science and Psychology
China
Cognition
Compliance
Control
COVID-19
Epidemics
Health aspects
Infection control
Mental health
Pandemics
Psychological aspects
Psychology
Public opinion
Social Sciences
Trust (Psychology)
United States
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Summary:Residents of the United States and China have responded very differently to the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures. This study introduces the uncertainty reduction theory and the need for cognitive closure (NFC) framework into the context of a public health crisis and compares models across the United States and China. Specifically, we collected survey data to examine how NFC, trust in government, and attitudes toward preventive measures predicted pandemic compliance behaviors, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction among 745 college students (399 from China and 346 from the United States). Chinese participants trusted their government more, believed COVID preventive measures to be more beneficial, and reported more pandemic compliance and fewer depressive symptoms than U.S. participants. Trust in government and attitudes towards preventive measures mediated the relationships between NFC and pandemic compliance behaviors among Chinese participants but not U.S. participants. NFC predicted better mental health outcomes among participants in China compared to U.S. participants. Trust in government mediated NFC and mental health outcomes among Chinese participants. Trust in government predicted better mental health (fewer depressive symptoms and more life satisfaction) in both the United States and China. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for promoting mental health and pandemic compliance behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.
ISSN:1046-1310
1936-4733
DOI:10.1007/s12144-022-03327-0