How Did Personality Traits Shape Reactions to Uncertainty During the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Abstract

This study examined how three broad uncertainty-related dispositions—Affective Discomfort with Uncertainty, Cognitive Rigidity and Closure, and Need for Predictability versus Complexity—relate to individual responses to the unprecedented global uncertainty triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data from 446 participants (61% female, ages 18–62) during Italy’s government-mandated lockdown in April 2020. Participants completed validated scales for uncertainty-related traits and a specially designed survey assessing pandemic responses, including Pandemic Anxiety and Routine Disruption—capturing fear of infection, distress from lifestyle changes, and difficulty processing conflicting information—and Proactive Compliance and Normative Trust, which reflects engagement in protective behaviors and endorsement of official guidelines. Structural equation modeling revealed that Cognitive Rigidity and Closure was the strongest predictor of Pandemic Anxiety and Routine Disruption, as well as Proactive Compliance and Normative Trust (PCNT), overshadowing the influence of Affective Discomfort with Uncertainty. Need for Predictability versus Complexity positively predicted Proactive Compliance and Normative Trust but was unrelated to Pandemic Anxiety and Routine Disruption. These findings highlight the twofold role of cognitive rigidity in amplifying emotional distress and fostering compliance during crises. The study emphasized the interplay between emotional and cognitive uncertainty-related traits in predicting pandemic-related distress and adherence to public health measures.

Keywords

Intolerance of ambiguity Need for cognitive closure intolerance of uncertainty COVID-19 pandemic responses personality traits and uncertainty psychological distress and health behavior public health norm endorsement

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