Study: Covid's racial disparities made some white people less vigilant about the virus

Study: Covid's racial disparities made some white people less vigilant about the virus In May 2020, when the Wisconsin Supreme Court heard virtual arguments about the state’s stay-at-home order, Gov. YahooNews

 ...(In) an early illustration of a pattern of attitudes about the pandemic, according to researchers from the University of Georgia. A new study from the school’s psychology department published in Social Science & Medicine, found that white people surveyed in the United States in fall 2020 cared less and were even more likely to shun pandemic safety precautions after learning about the disproportionate ways it impacts Black communities and other communities of color.

“When white people in the U.S. were more aware of racial disparities in Covid-19, they were less fearful of Covid-19,” said Allison Skinner-Dorkenoo, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Georgia and co-author of the study. “We found evidence of less empathy for people who are vulnerable to Covid-19 and we also found evidence of reduced support for safety precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”

She added that the findings show that white people tend to care less about Covid and its impact when they believe it is “not a white people problem.” ...