Abstract
Understanding the variables and processes that predict mask wearing has implications for reducing the likelihood of viral spread during pandemics. Research has shown that trust in science and mask-wearing attitudes predict mask-wearing behavior; however, no research has investigated the interaction between these two variables across different time points of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current project presents programmatic research to address these gaps in the literature. The aim of Study 1 (N = 229; average age is 38.30 years) was to create and examine the psychometric properties of a new multi-dimensional measure of mask attitudes in a sample of US adults, and results showed that three independent factors (positive attitudes, negative attitudes, and negative comfort-related attitudes) were observed. Using this measure, the aim of Study 2 (N = 869; average age is 37.81 years) was to test the interaction between trust in science and mask attitudes across four cohorts of US adults sampled six months apart during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed drastic shifts in the strength of the interaction between trust in science and positive mask attitudes at predicting mask wearing between the cohorts. Implications are discussed.
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