Introverts' moods improved during the pandemic while extroverts' did not
Observational study: A study in which the subject is observed to see if there is a relationship between two or more things (eg: the consumption of diet drinks and obesity). Observational studies cannot prove that one thing causes another, only that they are linked.
Survey: A study based solely on people’s responses to a series of questions.
People: This is a study based on research using people.
Extroverted people struggled during the early COVID-19 pandemic, while introverted people seemed to have a blast, according to US researchers who surveyed 484 uni students early in the pandemic. Students completed a personality test at the beginning of the semester disrupted by COVID-19, then completed daily ratings of mood, perceived stress levels and self-care activities such as exercise, mindfulness, and sleep throughout the semester. The researchers found that mood and wellness scores generally declined but stress levels decreased. Interestingly, those who were extroverted saw decreases in mood as the pandemic progressed, while introverted people saw an improvement in mood. Lower stress and higher participation in health promotion activities were also associated with particular personality traits, including lower levels of neuroticism, higher extraversion, higher agreeableness and higher conscientiousness.
Journal/conference: PLOS One
Link to research (DOI): 10.1371/journal.pone.0248895
Organisation/s: University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, USA
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