武汉市新冠肺炎疫情的客观危险与主观恐慌:全球范围内的“心理台风眼效应”

Objective Danger and Subjective Panic in Wuhan COVID-19:An Extended Overseas“Psychological Typhoon Eye”Effect

2008年“5·12”汶川地震期间,李纾及其团队发现并命名了有悖于直觉的“心理台风眼效应”。在2020年新冠肺炎疫情期间,研究者调查了身居国内外不同地区的人群对于武汉市疫情的安全担忧和风险知觉,结果表明:国门之外受测者比国门之内受测者对武汉市疫情表现出更多的担忧,即再次在重大灾情中发现了“心理台风眼效应”。基于心理台风眼效应的研究发现,我们从该效应的潜在机制及其影响作用入手,对研究发现的理论和实际意义进行了讨论。

To determine if the worldwide fear engendered by COVID-19 is expressed in the same manner as the subjective fear induced by catastrophic earthquakes,we conducted a multinational survey to investigate participants’safety concerns and risk perception of the epidemic that occurred in Wuhan City and measured the spatial distance from their residences to Wuhan City.Concern or perception was measured by asking the participants to indicate their estimated number of social/family gatherings,hand shakings,body temperature measurements,and clothing changes needed for Wuhan residents during the Chinese Spring Festival.A total of 353 adults from 19 countries were surveyed via WeChat.We found that this effect was applicable to COVID-19.Participants staying abroad showed more safety concerns or fears regarding the epidemic in Wuhan compared with those staying in China.People at zero distance to Wuhan were at the center of the PTE,and their safety concerns and risk perception were the lowest.The theoretical and practical implications of the extended overseas PTE in response to COVID-19 aim to mitigate the impact of the PTE.The underlying mechanisms of the PTE were discussed as well.