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Optimism and Social Resilience: Social Isolation, Meaninglessness, Trust, and Empathy in Times of COVID-19

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  • Volker C. Franke

    (School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA)

  • Charles N. Elliott

    (School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA)

Abstract

Using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of an existential threat, we conducted a nationwide survey in March 2020 asking 445 Americans about their hopes and fears, their opinions about the coronavirus pandemic, and their attitudes for getting through the public health crisis. In the present research, we examine the coronavirus pandemic as a complex problem and explore its effects on respondents’ levels of optimism to resolve the public health crisis. While much existing research examines the influence of risk perception on optimism, we specifically measure how respondents’ levels of empathy and trust affect social resilience and relate to hopes and fears for their personal health and public health in the United States. Specifically, we examine respondents’ levels of trust in government and their neighbors as well as their levels of empathy, alienation, and social isolation. Our research confirmed the importance of empathy to counter the spread of the virus while preventing economic collapse. In addition, we found that relational factors such as alienation and trust affect individuals’ levels of optimism or pessimism for getting through the public health crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Volker C. Franke & Charles N. Elliott, 2021. "Optimism and Social Resilience: Social Isolation, Meaninglessness, Trust, and Empathy in Times of COVID-19," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:11:y:2021:i:2:p:35-:d:535696
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. C. Bryce & P. Ring & S. Ashby & J. K. Wardman, 2020. "Resilience in the face of uncertainty: early lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(7-8), pages 880-887, August.
    2. Andrew Denovan & Ann Macaskill, 2017. "Stress and Subjective Well-Being Among First Year UK Undergraduate Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 505-525, April.
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    4. Malhotra, Deepak, 2004. "Trust and reciprocity decisions: The differing perspectives of trustors and trusted parties," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 61-73, July.
    5. Jennifer Mencl & Douglas May, 2009. "The Effects of Proximity and Empathy on Ethical Decision-Making: An Exploratory Investigation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(2), pages 201-226, March.
    6. Serena Changhong Lu & Dejun Tony Kong & Donald L. Ferrin & Kurt T. Dirks, 2017. "What are the determinants of interpersonal trust in dyadic negotiations? Meta-analytic evidence and implications for future research," Journal of Trust Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 22-50, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Huggel & Laurens M. Bouwer & Sirkku Juhola & Reinhard Mechler & Veruska Muccione & Ben Orlove & Ivo Wallimann-Helmer, 2022. "The existential risk space of climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Md. Khaled Saifullah & Md. Yousuf Harun & Emadul Islam, 2023. "Trust in Government, Awareness and Attitude, and Influence of Social Media in the Context of Risk Perception During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(5), pages 1249-1263, May.

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