Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Psychic Numbing

    Uploaded by

    Paolo Lorenzo Lora
    5 views1 page
    This document discusses the phenomenon of "psychic numbing" where people become less affected by large numbers of deaths compared to smaller numbers. As COVID deaths rose from 1,000 per day to over 2 million total, the sense of urgency declined. Research shows people have difficulty comprehending and acting on large numbers of losses unless the numbers convey emotion. While people say they would feel worse about thousands dying than a few, studies found equal levels of sadness regardless of number killed due to cognitive biases that make processing large tragedies over time difficult. Understanding these biases could help realize the full magnitude of losses in the pandemic.

    Original Description:

    Original Title

    PSYCHIC NUMBING

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    This document discusses the phenomenon of "psychic numbing" where people become less affected by large numbers of deaths compared to smaller numbers. As COVID deaths rose from 1,000 per day to over 2 million total, the sense of urgency declined. Research shows people have difficulty comprehending and acting on large numbers of losses unless the numbers convey emotion. While people say they would feel worse about thousands dying than a few, studies found equal levels of sadness regardless of number killed due to cognitive biases that make processing large tragedies over time difficult. Understanding these biases could help realize the full magnitude of losses in the pandemic.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    5 views1 page

    Psychic Numbing

    Uploaded by

    Paolo Lorenzo Lora
    This document discusses the phenomenon of "psychic numbing" where people become less affected by large numbers of deaths compared to smaller numbers. As COVID deaths rose from 1,000 per day to over 2 million total, the sense of urgency declined. Research shows people have difficulty comprehending and acting on large numbers of losses unless the numbers convey emotion. While people say they would feel worse about thousands dying than a few, studies found equal levels of sadness regardless of number killed due to cognitive biases that make processing large tragedies over time difficult. Understanding these biases could help realize the full magnitude of losses in the pandemic.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 1

    PSYCHIC NUMBING: WHEN WE GET LOST IN LARGE NUMBERS

    [Hello! Please take time to read this and kindly give your thoughts in the comments.]

    When the world got into the COVID-19 pandemic last year, with about 1,000 deaths per day, people
    panicked. Now that the numbers rose to more than two million in total and still counting, that sense of
    urgency people felt last year is now gone.

    To help society prevent deaths from catastrophes, the size and scope of potential losses are being
    assessed by immense effort and technological sophistication. This effort helps people understand the
    resulting numbers and act on them appropriately. However, recent behavioral research shows some
    inconsistencies on this assumption. People do not seem to comprehend large numbers. Large numbers
    have been found to lack substantial meaning and is often overlooked unless these numbers convey
    affect.

    This does not make people naturally insensitive either, at least by choice. According to a study,
    participants said they would feel significantly worse if thousands of people were killed in a disaster than
    if only a few people were killed. Even so, they have shown an “emotional flatline,” exhibiting equal
    degrees of sadness regardless of the number of people killed.

    Various cognitive biases, specifically numeracy bias, make it difficult to process large tragedies over
    time, creating a psychological gap between us and the number of COVID-19 cases, or deaths. However,
    by studying and understanding how various cognitive biases work, people can train themselves to feel
    the weight of these losses again.

    The losses of millions in this pandemic may minimize our psychological capabilities, but small steps can
    be taken to realize the magnitude of it. As Mother Teresa said, “Never worry about numbers. Help one
    person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”

    Sources:

    [https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/]

    [https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2020/12/07/empathy-scientist-cognitive-biases-covid-dead-
    mourning/ideas/essay/]

    [https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110376616-005]

    [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2007.04.011]

    Illustration by Be Boggs, Retrieved from Zocalo Public Square

    You might also like