Two different studies have unearthed important factors as to why people comply or don't comply with COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines - a person's news diet and their personality traits.
They indicate how a COVID-19 non-complier otherwise known as a 'COVID-Karen', as one study refers to them, is born.
A study by Middlesex University in the UK found that people with the personality trait 'extraversion' were less likely to comply with guidelines than 'conscientious', 'agreeable', and 'open' people.
A University of California study found these people are even worse off in terms of compliance if they prefer right-wing media such as Fox News.
The UK study determined that motivational tendencies are strongly associated with personality traits - this means people can take away different beliefs and attitudes from the same message.
Messages about COVID-19 are delivered via mass communication - everyone receives the same message - which means it can't be tailored to different personality types.
The study looked into how five different personality traits responded to the same messages from authorities. The traits were; 'extraversion', 'emotional stability', 'openness to experience', 'agreeableness' and 'conscientiousness'.
The study found the biggest indicator of compliance was conscientiousness. Those rated as highly conscientious were 31 percent more likely to comply with messages from authorities.
This was followed by openness to experience, 19 percent more likely to comply, and agreeableness, 17 percent more likely to comply.
According to the University of California study, compliance isn't helped when people have a preference for US right-wing media.
Participants in the California study were asked how often they engaged in COVID-19 preventative measures such as mask-wearing and hand washing. They were also asked about how often they engaged in risky behaviours such as going out to a bar or attending gatherings.
The participants were then asked to rank news outlets they trusted the most from a list of 18.
The study found a personal preference for US right-wing TV media is linked to significantly fewer COVID-19 preventative measures and a high level of behaviours likely to increase the risk of infection.
Those who trusted Fox News (which the study says is a right-wing channel) over CNN (left-wing) practiced an average of 3.41 preventative measures and an average of 1.25 risky behaviours.
Those who trusted CNN over Fox News practiced an average of 3.85 preventative measures and an average of 0.94 risky behaviours.
Both studies were observational, so can't establish cause but similar findings have been seen in other studies.
