“A wise man is never confused”: reasoning ability and anxiety in COVID-19 pandemic

Shuguang Jiang, Tianshu Jiang and Qian Wei

Applied Economics Letters, 2025, vol. 32, issue 17, 2518-2523

Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of reasoning ability on anxiety through an information intervention experiment. Our analysis reveals that conflicting information can elevate anxiety, whereas stronger reasoning ability can help people alleviate anxiety. When individuals encounter information with diverging opinions about COVID-19, stronger reasoning ability enables them to accurately comprehend the information, update their beliefs, and generate distinct emotional responses compared to those who lack reasoning skills. Information is a double-edged sword, and the discrepancies in individuals’ reasoning abilities should be taken into account in the dissemination of information and the implementation of public policies.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2024.2334445

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