Those who do not respect social distancing have a limited working memory

 We are taking steps backwards.

Social distance has been one of the most important measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic that has been raging for months. But it seems some people don't find it easy to keep that distance, which has caused new outbreaks to appear that threaten to trigger a second wave that condemns us to relive the nightmare of total confinement.

The reasons for avoiding social distancing vary from person to person, but now researchers at the University of California have discovered that it could all depend on working memory.

What exactly is working memory?

The short-term memory , also called working memory or work, is a cognitive process by which we keep the information active in our mind for a short period of time, usually a few seconds. It is like a sort of temporary warehouse where we keep the data we need to make decisions, think or follow the thread of a conversation.

But the amount of information we can keep in working memory for any given period of time varies from person to person. Indeed, working memory capacity has been linked to other cognitive abilities, such as intelligence, understanding and learning.

For example, if we have to make a decision, but we can't keep all relevant information in working memory, we will likely end up ignoring important variables and making the wrong decision. Instead, keeping the necessary information active will help us see the problem from different perspectives and evaluate different alternatives.

The greater the working memory, the greater the social distancing

850 people participated in this study. It was made in the first two weeks after the US pandemic alert was declared. Participants completed a series of surveys and tests that assessed their mood and cognitive functions and, of course, the degree to which they complied with social distancing measures.

The researchers found that those with higher working memory better applied the social distancing guidelines because they were more aware of the benefits and better understood the costs and risks they were exposed to.

"The higher the working memory capacity, the more likely people are to follow social distancing behaviors," the researchers said, adding that "this relationship remains even after controlling for relevant psychological and socioeconomic factors such as anxiety, depression, personality traits, education level and income ".

Risky decisions due to poor working memory

Despite the fact that the virus has been with us for months now, many people have not yet made masks and social distancing a habit, which means that whenever they face potential risk situations, they have to decide what to do.

Therefore, compliance with social distancing measures implies the initiation of a laborious decision-making process which consists in evaluating costs and risks by comparing them with the benefits of these behaviors. This process takes place precisely in the working memory.

Indeed, another study conducted at the University of Trieste found that working memory plays a particularly important role in more complex cognitive tasks, in particular in the processes of resistance to change, in the application of decision-making rules and in decision-making confidence. that we take.

To make a decision, we need to keep in mind all the reasons why not respecting social distancing can be dangerous. If we are unable to do so, the chances of us engaging in risky behavior increase and putting others at risk.

This crisis is health-related, but it requires a more psychologically intelligent approach, both socially and personally. Therefore, the next time we are tempted not to respect social distancing, we must stop and think about whether we are taking all factors into account.

Sources:

Xie, W. et. Al. (2020) Working memory capacity predicts individual differences in social-distancing compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. PNAS ; 2008868117.

Missier, F. et. Al. (2013) The Multifold Relationship Between Memory and Decision Making: An Individual-differences Study. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn ; 39 (5): 1344–1364.

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