Abstract
Linking local COVID-19 and population statistics to a U.S.-based survey we recently conducted, we examine the spatial variation in the impact of COVID-19 on Americans’ attitudes toward China. The research strategy capitalizes on differential local COVID-19 incidence rates as varying dosages of COVID-19 impact across local contexts in the United States. Our results reveal negative yet heterogeneous effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Americans’ attitudes toward China. We find that greater local exposure to COVID-19 is associated with a lower level of trust in Chinese and a less favorable attitude toward China. These findings lend consistent support to behavioral immune system theory by bridging the literature on contextual variations in public attitudes, with broader implications for U.S.-China relations.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 84-107 |
Number of pages | 24 |
Journal | Social Psychology Quarterly |
Volume | 85 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2022 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Social Psychology
Keywords
- COVID-19
- China
- context effects
- public attitudes