What Coronavirus Tells Us About Ourselves

Fear is having a good season. A quick survey of the headlines provides a window on what frightens us — government, police violence, immigrants, being left behind, climate change, plane crashes and now the coronavirus.

The ability to sense and avoid harm is essential for all animals. Fear has played a central role in our survival as a species. And yet we often fail when it comes to knowing what to be afraid of.

Risk assessment is not a trivial capacity. It affects how we perceive the world, our health, lifespan, emotional state, how we make decisions, how we manage our finances, and how we vote.

In this article I will provide a review of our wiring for risk perception followed by data on the coronavirus and CDC recommendations that can help inform your response to a story that has captured the world’s imagination.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT US

We are not wired for accurate risk assessment.

Try these True/False questions to set the stage for a reconceptualization of how we make decisions.

1. We make choices in our best interest.
2. If we have the data we make the right choices.
3. We accurately evaluate past experiences.
4. It is unnecessary to protect people from the consequences of their choices.