Time to Bother! Longitudinal Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic (and Others Too): Why Dismantling Social Cognition Biases Is Absolutely Crucial to Save Not Only Lives

Abstract

AbstractWe are closing this book by presenting a wider perspective, which is crucial in fighting pandemics. For us psychologists, professionals interested in protecting well-being, as well as for our colleagues, medical professionals oriented toward safeguarding one’s life, it is unbelievably hard to see that some people are proposing not managing COVID-19 and future pandemics. Simply and terribly put, these people are proposing letting vulnerable people die without putting much effort into prevention (like vaccines and massive vaccination) and developing effective cures.In this chapter we will present less obvious impacts on us and future generations. From this perspective we try to show that the social psychology perspective of biased perception of the social world may prevent these terrible longitudinal consequences from appearing.