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Cited by 103Misinformation and Its ImpactsCOVID-19 and Mental HealthCommunication and COVID-19 Impact

Adherence to safety and self-isolation guidelines, conspiracy and paranoia-like beliefs during COVID-19 pandemic in Poland - associations and moderators

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Kowalski, Joachim, Marchlewska, Marta, Molenda, Zuzanna, Górska, Paulina, Gawęda, Łukasz·2020·Psychiatry Research
DOI 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113540PMC PMC7590639
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Abstract

Background Due to coronavirus pandemic, governments have ordered a nationwide isolation. In this situation, we hypothesised that people holding conspiracy beliefs are less willing to adhere to medical guidelines. Furthermore, we explored what possible factors may modify relationships between conspiracy, paranoia-like beliefs, and adherence to epidemiological guidelines. Also, we examined the prevalence of different coronavirus conspiracy beliefs. Methods Two independent internet studies. Study 1 used a proportional quota sample that was representative of the population of Poles in terms of gender and settlement size (n=507). Study 2 employed a convenience sample (n=840). Results Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs are negatively related to safety guidelines. Mixed results suggest that paranoia-like beliefs are related negatively to safety guidelines. Prevalence of firmly held coronavirus conspiracy beliefs is rare. Nevertheless, certain percentage of participants agree with conspiracy beliefs at least partially. Coronavirus related anxiety, trust in media, and internal motivation to isolation moderate the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and adherence to safety guidelines. Paranoia-like beliefs partially mediate between boredom and conspiracy beliefs. Conclusions Conspiracy beliefs concerning coronavirus are present in the population and are negatively related to adherence to safety guidelines. Conspiracy beliefs originate partially from boredom and paranoia proneness. Certain factors - trust in media and internal motivation to isolation - are potentially worthwhile to address to enhance adherence to safety guidelines. Non-probabilistic sampling suggests caution in interpretation of the present findings.

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  • What tended to brew out of the fear, uncertainty and worry was a mistrust of other community members, not knowing who may be infected or not.

    “What tended to brew out of the fear, uncertainty and worry was a mistrust of other community members, not knowing who may be infected or not [75,76].”

    From Exploring Psychosocial Stressors and Coping Strategies During the COVID‐19 Lockdown: A Study of Two Low‐Income Communities in South Africa (2025) · cites this paper as [76]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) discusses COVID-19-related uncertainty, stress and fear of infection, and mentions interpersonal mistrust in connection with paranoia-like beliefs. It does not say that fear and uncertainty produced mistrust of other community members because their infection status was unknown. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Kowalski, J., Marchlewska, M., Molenda, Z., Górska, P., & Gawęda, Ł.
Affiliations
  • Institute of Psychology (PL)
  • University of Warsaw (PL)
Corresponding author
Kowalski, Joachim
ORCID
Venue
Psychiatry Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-12
Volume
294
Pages
113540
ISSN
0165-1781 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113540
PMC
PMC7590639
OpenAlex
W3096503744
Cited by
103
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 2
FWCI
26.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychiatry Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Narodowe Centrum Nauki (2017/26/M/HS6/00689)
  • Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego (0013/2019, 2019-2021)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Misinformation and Its Impacts
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Communication › Communication and COVID-19 Impact
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, conspiracy beliefs, self-isolation, boredom, media trust, anxiety
MeSH terms
COVID-19, Adult, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Paranoid Disorders, Patient Compliance, Poland, Quarantine, Safety, Trust, Pandemics

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