A network approach to understanding social distancing behaviour during the first UK lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the highly infectious nature of COVID-19, social distancing practices are key in stemming the spread of the virus. We aimed to assess the complex interplay among psychological factors, socio-demographic characteristics and social distancing behaviours within the framework of the widely used Ca...

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Published in:Psychology & Health Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 109 - 128
Main Authors: Gibson-Miller, Jilly, Zavlis, Orestis, Hartman, Todd K., Bennett, Kate M., Butter, Sarah, Levita, Liat, Martinez, Anton P., Mason, Liam, McBride, Orla, McKay, Ryan, Murphy, Jamie, Shevlin, Mark, Stocks, Thomas V. A, Bentall, Richard P.
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Jan2024
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jan2024
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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        10.1080/08870446.2022.2057497
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        atl: A network approach to understanding social distancing behaviour during the first UK lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.
      aug:
        au:
          Gibson-Miller, Jilly
          Zavlis, Orestis
          Hartman, Todd K.
          Bennett, Kate M.
          Butter, Sarah
          Levita, Liat
          Martinez, Anton P.
          Mason, Liam
          McBride, Orla
          McKay, Ryan
          Murphy, Jamie
          Shevlin, Mark
          Stocks, Thomas V. A
          Bentall, Richard P.
        affil: Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
      sug:
        subj:
          Adaptation, Psychological
          Sociodemographic Factors
          Social Distancing
          Health Behavior
          COVID-19 Prevention and Control
          Stay-at-Home Orders United Kingdom
          COVID-19 Pandemic
          Human
          United Kingdom
          COVID-19 Transmission
          Disease Transmission Prevention and Control
          Conceptual Framework
          Motivation
          Psychometrics
          Income
          Age Factors
          Educational Status
          Behavioral Sciences
          Funding Source
      ab: Given the highly infectious nature of COVID-19, social distancing practices are key in stemming the spread of the virus. We aimed to assess the complex interplay among psychological factors, socio-demographic characteristics and social distancing behaviours within the framework of the widely used Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model. The present research employed network psychometrics on data collected during the first UK lockdown in April 2020 as part of the COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC) Study. Using a network approach, we examined the predictions of psychological and demographic variables onto social distancing practices at two levels of analysis: macro and micro. Our findings revealed several factors that influenced social distancing behaviour during the first UK lockdown. The COM-B model was successful in predicting particular aspects of social-distancing via the influence of psychological capability and motivation at the macro-and micro-levels, respectively. Notably, demographic variables, such as education, income, and age, were directly and uniquely predictive of certain social distancing behaviours. Our findings reveal psychological factors that are key predictors of social distancing behaviour and also illustrate how demographic variables directly influence such behaviour. Our research has implications for the design of empirically-driven interventions to promote adherence to social distancing practices in this and future pandemics. Supplemental data for this article is available online at
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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