Behavioral Immune System, Psychological Immune System, and General Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic A Qualitative Exploration

Abstract

With innate biological immunity proving inept and an acute lack of effective SARSCoV-
2 medication or vaccination, strict restrictive, preventive, and protective measures
were introduced worldwide. Despite flattening the pandemic-growth curve, these
were met with resistance and heightened psychopathology among the masses. Recognizing
individuals’ unique adaptations to supporting and protecting their health before
or when any disease-state emerges in their body or the population around them has
implications for population health and public health programs. Humans have evolved
a concomitant behavioural immune system (BIS), a coordinated suite of psychological
mechanisms (affective-cognitive-behavioral) that motivate prophylactic avoidance of
infectious-disease vectors. They also possess a psychological immune system (PIS)
comprising personal resilience resources and adaptive capacities that can promote
psychological health-protective behaviors. The present phenomenological study explores
the dynamics of general populations’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic
to understand their behavioural immune, psychological immune, and general
psychophysical health functioning and the association between them. An attempt has
been made to validate the BIS model (Schaller & Park, 2011) and the PIS (Olah, 1996)
within the pandemic context. Semi-structured and in-depth telephonic interviews were
conducted with thirty-five participants. The data was analysed using directed qualitative
content analysis. Participants had deteriorated psychophysical health and an activated
BIS. Increased BIS was associated with negative attitudes and outcomes. PIS
resources helped maintain functionality, positivity, and stress resistance, and those with
lower behavioural immune activation and psychological immunity had more healthrelated
complaints. The study demonstrates that BIS and PIS are important factors for
health behaviour and well-being and suggests a more integrative approach to health
research.