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Culture and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multiple Mechanisms and Policy Implications

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kitayama, S; Camp, NP; Salvador, CE
Published in: Social Issues and Policy Review
January 1, 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has taken a massive toll on human life worldwide. The case of the United States—the world's largest economy—is particularly noteworthy, since the country suffered a disproportionately larger number of deaths than all other countries during the first year of the pandemic. A careful analysis may shed new light on the multifaceted processes contributing to this failure and help us prepare ourselves not to repeat the same mistakes in the future. Cultural psychology offers unique insights by highlighting mutually reinforcing interactions across collective, cultural, and psychological factors. Here, we review extant evidence and argue that various factors at these disparate levels converged to foster an independent mode of action, which, in turn, undermined effective coping with the infectious disease. The lack of effective political leadership exacerbated the resulting dire state of the country. Drawing on this analysis, we discuss several policy recommendations at collective, cultural, and psychological levels.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Social Issues and Policy Review

DOI

EISSN

1751-2409

ISSN

1751-2395

Publication Date

January 1, 2022

Volume

16

Issue

1

Start / End Page

164 / 211

Related Subject Headings

  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 4408 Political science
  • 4407 Policy and administration
  • 1608 Sociology
  • 1605 Policy and Administration
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Kitayama, S., Camp, N. P., & Salvador, C. E. (2022). Culture and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multiple Mechanisms and Policy Implications. Social Issues and Policy Review, 16(1), 164–211. https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12080
Kitayama, S., N. P. Camp, and C. E. Salvador. “Culture and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multiple Mechanisms and Policy Implications.” Social Issues and Policy Review 16, no. 1 (January 1, 2022): 164–211. https://doi.org/10.1111/sipr.12080.
Kitayama S, Camp NP, Salvador CE. Culture and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multiple Mechanisms and Policy Implications. Social Issues and Policy Review. 2022 Jan 1;16(1):164–211.
Kitayama, S., et al. “Culture and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multiple Mechanisms and Policy Implications.” Social Issues and Policy Review, vol. 16, no. 1, Jan. 2022, pp. 164–211. Scopus, doi:10.1111/sipr.12080.
Kitayama S, Camp NP, Salvador CE. Culture and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multiple Mechanisms and Policy Implications. Social Issues and Policy Review. 2022 Jan 1;16(1):164–211.
Journal cover image

Published In

Social Issues and Policy Review

DOI

EISSN

1751-2409

ISSN

1751-2395

Publication Date

January 1, 2022

Volume

16

Issue

1

Start / End Page

164 / 211

Related Subject Headings

  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 4408 Political science
  • 4407 Policy and administration
  • 1608 Sociology
  • 1605 Policy and Administration