“Covid- 19 won’t affect me”

The invincibility fable and how it affects the ongoing pandemic

How often have we parked our vehicle in a no-parking zone or crossed the road without making sure nothing is approaching us? The chances are, at least once. Why do we sometimes tend to take serious situations lightly despite being aware of the rules that exist regarding the same? We’ve heard of people breaking parking rules and paying the price for it. We’ve also heard stories of people getting involved in road accidents because of not being careful enough. Yet, when it comes to us, we believe that the above-mentioned situations are unlikely to happen; that we’re an exception. This is due to the invincibility fable.

Invincibility fable is a false conviction, usually prevalent in adolescents, that he or she cannot be influenced or harmed by anything that can affect other mortal humans. It is a phase of social-cognitive development that leads to risk-taking behaviour in teenagers. While risk-taking can be beneficial to physical, emotional, and social well-being, it can often lead to harmful circumstances. Invincibility fable can be viewed from a broader term of personal fable, proposed by David Elkind, an American Psychologist in 1967, who explored adolescent egocentrism. This is when adolescents think of themselves as the centre of attention, making themselves unique and structuring their beliefs and thoughts accordingly.

Over the past eight to nine months, ever since the novel coronavirus struck the world, the number of cases only seem to be increasing. Despite authorities everywhere taking measures to restrict social gathering, increase testing and improve medical facilities, the number of people getting infected by the virus daily is still alarming. While people may have differing opinions on why this seems to be happening, Psychology gives us a rather interesting perspective to look at this issue. Could it be that due to the constant reporting of older adults being at a higher risk to the virus, the younger generation considers themselves relatively safe?

Having a personal fable surrounding the pandemic can be, in a way, protective. It reduces anxiety and the constant worry of getting infected. However, the reckless behaviour that comes along with it does not help. While the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention does report that susceptibility to the coronavirus increases with age, we cannot ignore the fact that as of November 4th 2020, over 400 individuals between the ages of 15-25 years in the worst affected country (USA) alone, have succumbed to the virus. Believing that one is less likely to catch the infection causes the individual to take the rules set in place more lightly. This could be partying in large groups or leaving their homes without masks, in turn, only leading to the spread of the coronavirus.

One of the most prominent elements of the teenage years is the exploration of independence; something that is becoming harder due to the global pandemic. The urge to leave the house and

resume with one’s pre-Covid-19 life keeps increasing with the passing days. The invincibility fable along with this urge puts these young adults in a dangerous position.

Several pieces of research have been conducted on drinking and driving in order to stipulate the causes behind perceived invulnerability among teenagers. In 2018, Catherine Potard, a psychologist from the University of Angers, France, and her colleagues conducted a study to analyze the relationship between the attitudes and behaviour within a sample of young French adults. They based this study on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), according to which, an individuals behaviour is directly predicted by one’s behavioural intentions. The theory further says that one’s intentions are influenced by three sets of causes- one’s attitudes, one’s perception of what is normative and whether one believes they can control themselves or not. The authors believed that when viewed in the context of drinking and driving, the TPB lacks one key aspect- the perception of risk. The authors said, “Perceived Invulnerability, an optimistic bias, is described as a personal fable of immunization against risks (cognitive bias) and usually identified as playing a role in adolescents’ risk-taking” (p. 39).

While the invincibility fable is normal among adolescents, during such a crucial time, it is necessary that they understand the importance of following the safety guidelines set by the authorities. Adolescents must understand that by not following these precautions, they are as much at risk to the deadly coronavirus as anybody else. Staying optimistic during this pandemic is important, but thinking that one is resistant to the virus can indeed, increase the chances of the individual catching the infection and spreading it further.

References:

Potard, C., Kubiszewski, V., Camus, G., Courtois, R., & Gaymard, S. (2018). Driving under theinfluence of alcohol and perceived invulnerability among young adults: An extension of thetheory of planned behavior. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour,55, 38–46. doi: org.silk.library.umass.edu/10.1016/j.trf.2018.02.033