The study found a link between working memory and social distancing, and subjects -- noting more benefits than costs -- with higher levels of fluid intelligence, fairness and agreeableness followed the new rules of social distancing compliance, the study found.
“The decision of whether or not to follow social distancing guidelines is a difficult one, especially when there is a conflict between the societal benefits (e.g., prevent straining public health resources) and personal costs (e.g., loss in social connection and financial challenges). This decision critically relies on our mental capacity in retaining multiple pieces of potentially conflicting information in our head, which is referred to as working memory capacity,” study author Weizhen Xie (Zane) told PsyPost.
“As a researcher in cognitive psychology, I feel that it is our duty to figure out why some people follow the developing norm of social distancing while others ignore it. Addressing this issue may help mitigate the current public health crisis due to the COVID-19,” Xie, a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, added.
Xie said: “Realizing this cognitive bottleneck, the bottom line is that we should not rely on people’s habitual following of a norm because social distancing is not yet adequately established in U.S. society. Policymakers should develop strategies to aid people’s decision by making information or debriefing materials succinct, concise and brief.”
https://www.foxnews.com/health/coron...working-memory
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Study says 2 things:
1. More intelligent people were able to comply with the mask/social distancing rules because they are able to consider and weigh multiple pieces of (sometimes conflicting) information.
Less intelligent people can only process a single thought, like "liberal media = evil" or "lock her up"
2. Trump could have saved a lot of the less intelligent people of our country if he came out and said "covid = bad, mask = good".
Bumper sticker approach to public speaking. K.I.S.S. and repeat it early and often.