2008年"5·12"汶川地震期間,李紓及其團隊發現并命名了有悖于直覺的"心理臺風眼效應"。在2020年新冠肺炎疫情期間,研究者調查了身居國內外不同地區的人群對于武漢市疫情的安全擔憂和風險知覺,結果表明:國門之外受測者比國門之內受測者對武漢市疫情表現出更多的擔憂,即再次在重大災情中發現了"心理臺風眼效應"。基于心理臺風眼效應的研究發現,我們從該效應的潛在機制及其影響作用入手,對研究發現的理論和實際意義進行了討論。

To determine if the worldwide fear engendered by COVID-19 is expressed in the same manner as the subjective fear induced by catastrophic earthquakes,we conducted a multinational survey to investigate participants’ safety concerns and risk perception of the epidemic that occurred in Wuhan City and measured the spatial distance from their residences to Wuhan City.Concern or perception was measured by asking the participants to indicate their estimated number of social/family gatherings,hand shakings,body temperature measurements,and clothing changes needed for Wuhan residents during the Chinese Spring Festival.A total of 353 adults from 19 countries were surveyed via WeChat.We found that this effect was applicable to COVID-19.Participants staying abroad showed more safety concerns or fears regarding the epidemic in Wuhan compared with those staying in China.People at zero distance to Wuhan were at the center of the PTE,and their safety concerns and risk perception were the lowest.The theoretical and practical implications of the extended overseas PTE in response to COVID-19 aim to mitigate the impact of the PTE.The underlying mechanisms of the PTE were discussed as well.