ArticleSocial science & medicine (1982)2023
Self-uniqueness beliefs and adherence to recommended precautions. A 5-wave longitudinal COVID-19 study.
Article in Social science & medicine (1982), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Psychological inflexibility and depressive symptoms as key correlates of suicidal risk among university students in a U.S.-Mexico border city.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Alarming data on attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 - changes during the 1 st, 2nd and 3rd waves of the pandemic: a cross-sectional study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
rationaleResearch on health-related self-uniqueness beliefs suggested that these beliefs might predict adherence to precautions against COVID-19.
objectiveWe examined if comparative optimism (believing that one is less at less than others), self-superiority (believing that one already adheres better to precautions than others), and egocentric impact perception (believing that adverse events affect oneself more than others) predicted intended adherence to precautions.
methodWe measured self-reported intentions, optimism for self and others, perceived past adherence by self and others, and perceived impact of the measures and the disease on self and others in a 5-wave longitudinal study in December 2020-May 2021 (N ≈ 5000/wave). The sample was in key respects representative for the Belgian population. We used joint models to examine the relationship between self-uniqueness beliefs and intended adherence to the precautions.
resultsBelieving that COVID-19 would affect one's own life more than average (egocentric impact perception) was associated with higher intentions to adhere to precautions, as was believing that the precautions affected one's life less than average (allocentric impact perception). Self-superiority concerning past adherence to precautions and comparative optimism concerning infection with COVID-19 were associated with higher intended adherence, regardless of whether their non-comparative counterparts (descriptive norm, i.e., perceived adherence to precautions by others, and personal optimism, respectively) were controlled for. Comparative optimism for severe disease and for good outcome were associated with lower intended adherence if personal optimism was not controlled for, but with higher intended adherence if it was controlled for.
conclusionSelf-uniqueness beliefs predict intended adherence to precautions against COVID-19, but do so in different directions.
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