# Personality factors and pandemic-related behaviors

## TL;DR

The study found that personality traits like compassion and openness are linked to pandemic behaviors such as mask-wearing and social distancing.

## Contribution

The study links specific personality traits to pandemic-related behaviors, suggesting potential applications in public health communication.

## Key findings

- People who always wore masks had higher compassion and lower sadism.
- Those who practiced social distancing scored higher in openness and conscientiousness.
- Hoarding was associated with lower agreeableness.

## Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether there are personality differences (the HEXACO model, narcissism, sadism, compassion for others) in mask-wearing, social distancing, and hoarding.

Those who always wore masks were significantly higher in compassion for others and significantly lower in sadism compared to those who did not always wear masks. Those who always socially distanced (compared to those who did not) were significantly higher in openness, compassion for others, and conscientiousness. Those who hoarded were significantly lower in agreeableness than those who did not hoard.

Perhaps physicians may use information to boost states of altruistic-type traits (agreeableness, compassion for others) while educating patients during visits in order to increase the likelihood of receiving vaccinations or booster shots.