As the U.S. death toll of COVID-19 passes 134,000, its not just the medical aspects of the disease that are reshaping society.

Millions are wearing masks and making sure theyre standing 6 feet from everyone else in sight and millions wouldnt be caught dead in a mask, so to speak. Hugs are in short supply. What will the next school year bring? Whats safe and whats not? Politics influences what people believe about the pandemic, and vice versa. Is this the new normal way of life or is this the new normal for now?

To seek further insight into how all this is affecting us, The Constitution spoke with Stephanie Stern and her husband, William Stern, both instructors in the Psychology Department at Cameron University. William Stern is also part of the universitys social sciences program.

Stephanie Stern said a big area of concern is the pandemics impact on mental health. Many people are isolated and anxious, and they can be stuck at home in potentially harmful environments. That can have a long-term effect. Much like the virus, it, too, is invisible.

We will possibly see an increase in depression and anxiety-related disorders, as well as interpersonal issues, she said. We already have problems in our country when it comes to accessing mental health care and stigma surrounding seeking help. The pandemic will likely exacerbate some of those problems.

Shutting people away in their homes with little contact can take a big toll on mental health, William Stern said, calling it a case of the cure being worse than the disease.

People crave contact with others, and anything that limits that contact is going to be difficult for us to deal with, he said.

The mixed messages from the government and health professionals come at an already hot moment politically. In many ways, the rationale that pushes one to seek alternative information or to defend bad information with bravado could be a manifestation of a subconscious fear of mortality, according to William Stern. It fits the model of Terror Management Theory.

The basic idea of the theory is that when people are made aware of the fact that their death is inevitable, they become anxious and attempt to reduce that anxiety, he said. Traditionally, we can make ourselves feel better by reaffirming belief in customs that might offer a form of immortality such as religion, family memories or leaving a legacy.

Those who subscribe to conspiracy theories about the virus and its nature are doing so to reaffirm a sense of certainty in a very uncertain time, he said. It satisfies a need for closure that can help make sense of the world.

When people dont follow the guidelines, Stephanie Stern said, its an example of the tragedy of commons. When a person feels its all right to bend the rules or make exceptions here and there, that person fails to look at the bigger picture. What if everyone followed that same logic?

People, even people who might think they are taking precautions seriously, make these one-time or one-person exceptions and the impact spirals from there, she said.

The need to belong and to interact with others is innately human. Thats why, she said, people have found ways to adapt in different ways to satisfy the need for interaction with others.

As a society, we need to focus on providing for these needs, as well as others, in a way that keeps the greatest number of people safe, she said. Unfortunately, this need might also be another reason why many people have had such a hard time following social distancing rules, likely leading to an extended period during which we will need to follow social distancing guidelines.

William Stern said many people who take the latter tack are probably not engaging in those activities because they dont care about their health. It can help cause an unease that is subconscious. It brings an added stress to those working in those environments, as well.

There are several ways to reduce this unpleasant feeling, and this is probably why we see individuals rationalizing their actions by downplaying the seriousness of the virus and the effectiveness of safety precautions, he said. Their attitude about the virus changes to the point that they feel it is blown out of proportion and really not very dangerous. This allows them to justify their behaviors and avoid feeling bad about taking risks related to the disease.

As American s face health and economic fears brought on by the pandemic, it also appears to be a time of reckoning about race relations. It can be a lot for anyone to take in, William Stern said, and after dealing with a pandemic for months, peoples fuses are much shorter.

Stephanie Stern said people are struggling and deficits in intellectual humility are out in the open.

Intellectual humility refers to our ability to be comfortable being wrong or having our beliefs challenged, she said. You take people low in intellectual humility, who are already frustrated because of their response to COVID-19, and add another way in which they are being told they are wrong. Youre going to get anger and defensiveness. Youre going to get a response that is potentially stronger than it would have been had these events happened in isolation.

Adding to the confusion and fear, according to the Sterns, is the variance of information and where its found.

Stephanie Stern said people are suffering from what social psychologists call confirmation bias in which people find information to support their preconceived notions. As a scientist, she believes its important for society to build opinions on empirical evidence instead of political or personal feelings.

We tend to ignore or invalidate information contrary to how we already feel, she said. Understanding that we all engage in this biased sway of thinking can help us be better at seeking reliable and holistic information.

A solution William Stern offers is to have unbiased platforms for information that can be trusted. He said mistrust of traditional media outlets has led to people finding sources of less-than-trustworthy information. He believes education can play an important role in finding common ground for factual information. With the rise of 24-hour news cycles and the internet, its easy to fall into an echo chamber.

Critical thinking isnt something you are born with, he said. It is a skill that has to be learned and practiced. In this information-rich world, students at all levels of the educational system should be challenged to analyze the source of information.

He believes there is hope with younger generations who have grown up with the internet.

Ironically, they seem less at risk of believing everything they read than the older generations who often issue such warnings, he said. However, none of us is immune to misinformation, and its important to always remember that exceptional claims require exceptional evidence.

But, as with most things, the Sterns believe this, too, shall pass regarding the uncertainty of our new normal.

William Stern believes that we will adapt with the things that will remain once a vaccine is found and the virus is finally under control. He said there are things that have already changed that are for the good, such as employees and employers learning that telecommuting isnt such a bad thing.

As difficult as it has been to deal with at time, it is important to remember that pandemics dont last forever, he said. Eventually the virus will be controlled to the point where normal life can resume.

Humanity has a desire for continuity or for things to remain the same, according to Stephanie Stern. But we live in a constantly changing world and that causes its own distress.

The good news is that we do tend to adapt, she said. That being said, there are certain outcomes of the pandemic that we need to address as soon as possible.

She said it will take some time and there will be a very real impact, from mental health to the educational system. She said there will be a strain on individuals, teachers and mental health care workers that will likely take a while to recover from. Supporting public access to good mental health care as well as destigmatizing those seeking help is a great start.

Events like this have a tendency to reveal the cracks in our system, she said, and, for better or worse, things do not always go back to the way they were.

Written by Scott Rains: scott.rains@swoknews.com.

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Life in a pandemic: "Is this the new normal and how do we cope?" - The Lawton Constitution