The imprinting effect of SARS experience on the fear of COVID-19: The role of AI and big data

doi:10.1016/j.seps.2021.101086

Socio-Economic Planning Sciences

Volume 80, March 2022, 101086

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2021.101086 Get rights and content

Highlights

•: COVID-19 brings psychosocial stress and adverse psychological consequences.
•: A sample of 1871 questionnaires that covers students in Chinese universities was collected.
•: Childhood experiences of SARS have an imprinting effect on the fear of COVID-19.
•: AI and big data applications help reduce the fear caused by the childhood experience.

Abstract

The worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 has significantly increased the fear of individuals, which brings severe psychosocial stress and adverse psychological consequences, and become a serious public health problem. Based on the imprinting theory, this study investigates whether childhood experiences of SARS have an imprinting effect that significantly influences the fear of COVID-19. Furthermore, we propose that this effect is contingent on the applications of AI and big data. We test our framework with a sample of 1871 questionnaires that covered students in universities across all provincial regions in China, and the results suggest that the imprinting of SARS increases the individuals’ fear of COVID-19, and this effect is reduced with the applications of AI and big data. Overall, this study provides a novel insight of the fear caused by the childhood experience of the similar health crisis and the unique role of AI and big data applications into fighting against COVID-19.

Keywords

COVID-19

SARS

Imprinting theory

Public health

Artificial intelligence

Big data

Haitang Yao is a assistant professor in Business School, at Qingdao University, China. Her current research interest includes outward of foreign direct investment, international student mobility, and the belt and road initiative.

Wei Liu is a distinguished professor in Business School, at Qingdao University, China. His research covers corporate social responsibility, sustainable management and corporate strategies in emerging economies. His works has been appeared or forthcoming in journals such as Technological Forecasting & Social Change, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Review, Emerging Markets Review, Finance Research Letters, One Earth (Cell Press) and others.

Chia-Huei Wu is currently an Associate Professor at Institute of Service Industries and Management, Minghsin University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. She received Ph.D. degree in Technology Management from University of Chung Hua. Dr. Wu has well over 50 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Her recent research interests in Big data, Information Technology and Service Management. She is serving on the editorial boards of some journals.

Yu-Hsi Yuan is an associate professor in the Department of Labor & Human Resources, at Chinese Culture University, Taiwan. Dr. Yuan's current research covers information system management and information engineering.

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