Subjective Sense Research Articles

Living the Sense of Subjectivity: Martin Buber’s Philosophy of Dialogue and Its Enlightenment to Education

This paper attempts to reveal Buber’s understanding of education through the interpretation of his dialogue philosophy. In order to understand Buber’s educational philosophy, we need to examine it in the context of a meeting of “I and Thou”. Through analysis, Buber’s concept, the process of education is a “dialogue” between teachers and students, which allows students to participate with a sense of subject, and helps students to meet “Thou” and step into the “I-Thou” relationship. At this time, no matter how serious knowledge is, it will not be boring. Through discussion, the author shows that the sense of subject in Buber’s philosophy will lead Thou into the reciprocal and independent “I-Thou” relationship, and the “meeting” between teachers and students is regarded as the manifestation of the true teacher-student relationship.

The effects of cueing episodic future thinking on delay discounting in children, adolescents, and adults

Discounting the value of delayed rewards such that even a relatively small, immediately available reward is preferred to a larger delayed reward is a commonly observed human trait. Children are particularly steep discounters of delayed rewards as evidenced by delay of gratification studies. In recent years, however, a growing literature indicates that cueing individuals to imagine personal future events attenuates their discounting of delayed rewards. The present studies extend this literature by examining whether cueing future thinking promotes patient choices in children and adolescents. In Experiment 1 we found that cueing future thinking had no effect on 8–11-year-olds' (n = 177) delay discounting of either real or hypothetical rewards. In Experiment 2 we found that cueing adolescents (12–14-year-olds, n = 126) and adults (n = 122) to think about personal future events decreased their discounting of delayed rewards relative to three other conditions: a no cue control, an episodic memory condition and a novel ‘future other’ condition in which individuals imagine future events that might happen to a significant other person in their life. Cueing adults and adolescents to think about personal future events did not however affect how connected they felt to their future selves or their subjective sense of how close future time points felt to them – two constructs that have previously been shown to be related to delay discounting.

Kubrick’s audible bodies: unseen subjectivities in 2001 and The Shining

Abstract Stanley Kubrick is regarded as a filmmaker of complex imagery. Yet the vitality of his more metaphysical works lies in what is unseen. There is an embodiment to Kubrick’s films that maintains a sense of subjectivity, but one which is unapparent and non-visual. This opens another way into Kubrick’s works, that of conditions of audibility (hearing/listening), affectivity, and signs. To think of embodiment from such an audible perspective requires one to subvert film spectatorship (the frame) and instead enter the reality of the film’s immanent, borderless unfolding as itself. This essay applies Gilles Deleuze’s semiotic concepts of cinema, metaphysics, and subjectivity to conditions of audibility and unseeing, a connection Deleuze largely ignored in his writings. These dual concepts of audibility and unseeing break prevailing analytical norms in cinema discourse that affirm limitations via material, visual, textual, and spatial reification: subjective-objective delineations, the body and the gaze, sound as necessarily spatial/material, and the dominance of images in regard to aesthetics, surveillance, and evidence. Instead, this essay moves through Kubrick’s constructions of milieu that are unseen in the midst of an otherwise visual unfolding, and audible in the midst of an otherwise sonic unfolding. To consider Kubrick’s films through their audible embodiment, one must detach (1) the microphone from its adherence to space, (2) the body from its visual gaze. Here, sounds, images, and objects become secondary to hearing and signs in a temporal unfolding, resulting in a cinema that is experiential rather than representational. This opens to an actuality of spirit within the world of the film, offering new opportunities for creativity in the cinematic form.

Taking measure of an escape crop: Cassava relationality in a contemporary quilombo-remnant community

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is among the most important crops in Brazil, not only due to its widespread cultivation and consumption, but also its history in the country. This root has been important both to the colonial project and the resistance to it, particularly in the quilombo-communities. Such sites of resistance have served as paradigmatic examples of ‘escape agriculture’ in the work of James Scott (2009), who highlights the role roots play in avoiding appropriation by the state. In this article, we experiment with the concept of ‘escape crops’ as we follow cassava from harvest to market in a contemporary quilombo-remnant community, Espírito Santo do Itá (Pará). We combine Scott’s attention to the politics of crops with material semiotic sensibilities, thus exploring relationality and performativity. We argue that the cassava is central to the social life in the community, which is organized around the casas de farinha (flour mills). The processing practices also seem to foster a strong sense of collectivity and subjectivity, shaped by the materiality of the crop. Furthermore, the cassava which is performed in these spaces does not seem to allow for standardizations and abstractions, requiring processes of translation in order to be sold in the market, which is done through measuring operations. Through these operations, the cassava becomes an ambivalent and partial market entity, allowing for the cassava to travel in and out of the community, while at the same time precluding a co-option of this space by a capitalist logic. It seems, then, that by extending Scott’s concept, this root continues to be relevant for the community’s autonomy and freedom - not due to the crop’s biological traits alone, but due to the traits it gains and sheds relationally.

Building a biopsychosocial model of cancer-related fatigue: the BIOCARE FActory cohort study protocol

BackgroundCancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common side effect of cancer and cancer treatment. CRF prevalence is up to 50% in breast cancer patients and can continue several years after cancer remission. This persistent subjective sense of exhaustion is multifactorial. Numerous parameters have been evidenced to be related to CRF across biological, physical, psychological, social and/or behavioral dimensions. Although CRF has been studied for many years, the majority of previous studies focused on only one dimension, i.e., physical function. Moreover, few studies investigated CRF longitudinally with repeated measures. These are the two main obstacles that limit the understanding of CRF mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to create a biopsychosocial model of CRF with simultaneous and longitudinal anthropometric, clinical, biological, physical, psychological and sociological parameters.MethodsBIOCARE FActory is a multicentric prospective study that will consist of an 18-month follow-up of 200 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Four visits will be scheduled at diagnosis, after treatments, and 12 and 18 months after diagnosis. The same procedure will be followed for each visit. Each session will be composed of anthropometric data collection, a semi-structured interview, cognitive tests, postural control tests, neuromuscular fatigability tests and a cardiorespiratory fitness test. Clinical and biological data will be collected during medical follow-ups. Participants will also complete questionnaires to assess psychological aspects and quality of life and wear an actigraphy device. Using a structural equation modeling analysis (SEM), collected data will build a biopsychosocial model of CRF, including the physiological, biological, psychological, behavioral and social dimensions of CRF.DiscussionThis study aims to highlight the dynamics of CRF and its correlates from diagnosis to post treatment. SEM analysis could examine some relations between potential mechanisms and CRF. Thus, the biopsychosocial model will contribute to a better understanding of CRF and its underlying mechanisms from diagnosis to the aftermaths of cancer and its treatments.Trial registrationThis study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04391543), May 2020.

Financial Shocks and Financial Well-Being: What Builds Resiliency in Lower-Income Households?

Households in the U.S. regularly experience unexpected negative income or expense shocks, and low- and moderate-income households experience these shocks at disproportionately high rates. Relatively little is known about the impact these shocks have on households’ subjective sense of financial well-being, and how access to different types of liquidity (e.g., liquid assets, credit cards, social resources, and income flows) can mitigate the impact of these shocks on subjective financial well-being. To address these gaps in the literature, this paper uses data from a two-wave survey administered to 3,911 low- and moderate-income tax filers in 2018. Applying a difference-in-difference analysis, we find that the experience of an income shock between survey waves was associated with a large decline in subjective financial well-being, while the experience of an expense shock was associated with a more modest decline. Relatively liquidity-constrained households tended to be more negatively impacted by shocks than their counterparts, though not all sources of liquidity were equally as effective in buffering households against shocks. The findings of this paper point to the need for policymakers and program administrators to develop tools that can facilitate access to different types of liquidity to offset different financial risks for households.

SOCIJALNA BEZBEDNOST I RIZICI SAVREMENIH MIGRACIJA

Social security implies the realization of comprehensive guarantees to citizens from certain risks, most often socio-economic, but also others related to them, in an objective and subjective sense, which are integral parts of social security (social security, social protection, social development and social risks). Social security is often equated with social security, especially in its broader sense, although are not synonymous, and implies a comprehensive and integrated system of social measures that guarantee an adequate standard of living and well-being, can include a range of related systems and subsystems, ideas and concepts of security and other factors (economic, political, demographic, environmental, etc.) that are associated with it have a greater or lesser impact and determine the character of its actions. Social security is most directly related to human security and sustainable development. Achieving the highest possible level of social security is no longer just a possibility and ability of nation states but also of the entire global world system, with a system of international relations, which aspires to realize the idea and vision of a global society with a number of international supranational and global institutions, institutes and rules, who need to realize his premises. The central problem in the current form of globalization, as a system of international relations, is the constant increase of socio-economic inequalities and other inequalities, at the level of global society, between regions and states and within states and which is actualized as a result of structural inequalities stemming from neoliberalism, dominant economic-political model and its rules. As a consequence of endangering the socio-economic security of people and their identities, modern migrations with their risks appear, of which the capacity of migrations to become a terrismogenic factor (factor generic of terrorism) is of special importance. The paper deals with issues of social security and social risks; globalization, increasing socio-economic inequalities and social risks, and the relationship between social risks and migration as a terrismogenic factor, with reference to the analysis of migration risks in the Republic of Serbia.

With a Hint of Sudachi: Food Plating Can Facilitate the Fondness of Food.

Among the senses of food, our subjective sense of taste is significantly influenced by our visual perception. In appetite science, previous research has reported that when we estimate quality in daily life, we rely considerably on visual information. This study focused on the multimodal mental imagery evoked by the visual information of food served on a plate and examined the effect of the peripheral visual information of garnish on the sensory impression of the main dish. A sensory evaluation experiment was conducted to evaluate the impressions of food photographs, and multivariate analysis was used to structure sensory values. It was found that the appearance of the garnish placed on the plates close to the main dish contributes to visual appetite stimulants. It is evident that color, moisture, and taste (sourness and spiciness) play a major role in the acceptability of food. To stimulate one’s appetite, it is important to make the main dish appear warm. These results can be used to modulate the eating experience and stimulate appetite. Applying these results to meals can improve the dining experience by superimposing visual information with augmented reality technology or by presenting real appropriate garnishes.

Time Perception in Prodromal Alzheimer's Dementia and in Prodromal Dementia With Lewy Bodies.

Background: Time perception is a subjective experience or sense of time. Previous studies have shown that Alzheimer's dementia (AD) patients have time perception deficits compared to a cognitively unimpaired control group (CU). There are only a few studies on dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) patients' time perception in comparison with CU and AD patients. Early intervention and prescription of the right medicine may delay the deterioration of AD and DLB, moreover, knowing how prodromal AD (prAD) and prodromal DLB's (prDLB) time perception differ from each other might be helpful for future understanding of these two dementias. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the difference in time perception performance between prodromal AD and prodromal DLB.Methods: We invited people diagnosed with prAD, prDLB, and CU to participate in this study. Tests of verbal estimation of time and time interval production were used to assess their time perception. We analyzed the average time estimation (ATE), absolute error score (ABS), coefficient of variance (CV), and subjective temporal unit (STU) within the three groups.Results: A total of 40 prAD, 30 prDLB, and 47 CU completed the study. In the verbal estimation test, the CV for the prAD was higher than both prDLB and CU at the 9 s interval, and the CV of prAD was higher than CU at the 27 s interval. In the time interval production test, the subjective time units of prDLB were higher than prAD at the 10 s interval, while those of both prDLB and CU were higher than prAD at the 30 s interval. The percentage of subjects with STU < 1.0 s, indicating overestimation, was higher in prAD than both prDLB and CU.Conclusion: Time perception of prAD patients showed imprecision and overestimation of time, while prDLB tended to underestimate time intervals. No significant difference was found in accuracy among the three groups. It is speculated that the clinical and pathological severity of the two prodromal dementia stages may be different, and some patients have not yet had their time perception affected.

Genesis 1–3 and the Formation of Subjectivity in the Hodayot and the Two Spirits Teaching

Abstract Although the lived experience of subjectivity for persons in antiquity cannot be known directly, one can study certain texts as tools for the formation of subjects. Among the Dead Sea Scrolls two compositions are particularly instructive, the Hodayot found in 1QHa 2–9, 18–28 (the Hodayot of the Maskil, also known as Hodayot of the Community) and the Two Spirits Teaching (1QS 3:13–4:26). Each develops an understanding of subjectivity based on subtle interpretations of creation traditions, developed through sophisticated intertextual readings. The Hodayot privilege Gen 2–3; the Two Spirits Teaching emphasizes Gen 1. Although mutually contradictory on the surface, the two accounts actually develop subjectivities that share many similarities. By analyzing these converging patterns one may get some sense of the lived subjectivity that was created by the various texts and practices of the Yahad community.

Training for Marathons during a Marathon Pandemic: Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Fitness among High-Level Nonelite Runners.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on all aspects of life, including physical fitness and well-being of the general population. In the present study, we assessed the effect of the pandemic on the subjective and objective fitness of high-level nonelite runners. Methods The MASTERS Athletic Study is an ongoing survey of training and health habits of high-level nonelite runners, the majority of whom compete in marathons and other extreme endurance events. We invited participants to a web-based questionnaire regarding training and fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparisons were made between subjective and objective fitness as well as well as the relationship of prepandemic training volume and history of COVID-19 on change in fitness during the pandemic, using Mann–Whitney rank-sum tests and chi-square tests for nonparametric and categorical variables, respectively. Results A total of 189 runners completed the survey, of whom 26 (13.8%) reported prior diagnosis with COVID-19. In terms of the subjective sense of fitness compared to before the pandemic, 49 (25.9%) reported they were less fit, 55 (29.1%) reported they were more fit, and 85 (45.0%) reported their fitness was unchanged. These assessments correlated well with objective measurement of training volume in MET-min/week. Runners with improved fitness at present had a lower calculated training volume before the pandemic versus those who reported unchanged or worsened fitness. There was no relationship between the report of prior COVID-19 and either subjective or objective measures of fitness. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has had a variable effect on the fitness of high-level nonelite runners. We found an inverse relationship between baseline training volume and the likelihood of runners reporting improved fitness and no relationship between a history of COVID-19 and change in fitness through the pandemic. Understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on athletic fitness will help guide strategies to maintain physical health and wellness through future public health crises.

The Psychopath Objection to Divine Command Theory

Abstract: Recently, Erik Wielenberg has developed a novel objection to divine command meta-ethics (DCM). The objection that DCM "has the implausible implication that psychopaths have no moral obligations and hence their evil acts, no matter how evil, are morally permissible". This article criticizes Wielenberg's argument. Section 1 will expound Wielenberg's new "psychopath" argument in the context of the recent debate over the Promulgation Objection. Section 2 will discuss two ambiguities in the argument; in particular, Wielenberg’s formulation is ambiguous between whether Wielenberg uses the word "obligation" in an objective or subjective sense. Section 3 will argue that this ambiguity undercuts the argument. If Wielenberg is using the word obligation in a subjective sense, his arguments do not show that that psychopaths "have no moral obligations". By contrast, if Wielenberg is using the word obligation in an objective sense, his arguments do not show that Divine command theorists are committed to denying psychopaths have obligations.

Editorial:Narrative‐BasedApproaches in Psychological Research and Practice

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Comparison of speech, spatial, and qualities of hearing scale questionnaire and the abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit in a large cohort of listeners

The speech, spatial, and qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ; Gatehouse and Noble, 2004) is a 49-item questionnaire developed to assess listeners’ subjective sense of listening ability and listening experience in everyday complex situations that often involve spatial hearing. The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB; Cox and Alexander, 1995) is a 24-item self-assessment questionnaire in which listeners report the amount of trouble they have while communicating in various everyday listening situations. The APHAB assesses multiple listening environments that include ease of communication, reverberation, background noise, and aversiveness of sounds. Even though both the questionnaires measure the self-reported hearing ability/disability, there are very few studies in the literature that compares the outcome of these two questionnaires on same group of listeners. Both the questionnaires were administered to198 listeners (younger: n = 107, mean age = 22.8 years, range: 19–25 years; older: n = 91; mean age = 53.5 years, range: 40–70 years) through Qualtrics. The differences and relationships between the two groups for both the questionnaires will be discussed. These data are intended to aid in interpreting the SSQ and APHAB results in typical audiological clinics.

Nystagmus – What's new?

Nystagmus is defined as to-and-fro oscillations of the eyes initiated by a slow drift of the eyes away from desired position and followed by either quick phases (jerk nystagmus) or slow drifts in the opposite direction (pendular nystagmus). There are a multitude of nystagmus types, etiologies, and mechanisms – each with different clinical implications and pharmacological treatments; thus, proper pattern identification of nystagmus is critical to accurate neurological diagnosis and effective therapeutic intervention. The most common acquired nystagmus types seen clinically that occur in central gaze and thereby may cause disabling oscillopsia (i.e., a subjective sense of visual motion) are acquired pendular nystagmus (APN) and pure vertical jerk nystagmus (upbeat = UBN, downbeat = DBN). The two most common forms of APN are horizontal/elliptical APN in multiple sclerosis and vertical/torsional APN with simultaneous spontaneous palatal movements in oculopalatal tremor. Oculopalatal tremor typically begins weeks to months after a brainstem stroke and is associated with hypertrophic degeneration of the inferior olive. UBN is most common with medullary lesions from multiple sclerosis or in the setting of Wernicke encephalopathy. DBN occurs with many pathologies affecting the cerebellum, especially the cerebellar flocculus/paraflocculus or nodulus/uvula. Recent updates to be highlighted include a slowly progressive form of oculopalatal tremor called progressive ataxia and palatal tremor (PAPT) and diagnostic insights to be gained from careful examination of the behavior of UBN and DBN in different gaze positions and following provocative maneuvers (e.g., head shaking, supine position).

Two Major Elements of Life Recovery After a Disaster: Their Impacts Dependent on Housing Damage and the Contributions of Psycho-Behavioral Factors

Clarification of the individual factors determining the speed and quality of life recovery after massive disasters is crucial in assessing the vulnerability and resilience of individuals and communities. The research, however, remains in its infancy in that the index of life recovery per se is yet to be established; researchers have utilized different sets of variables, and their importance seems to vary across recovery phases potentially reflecting the change in housing situation. In addition, previous research on promoting factors of life recovery has primarily focused on demographic factors and inadequately addressed the psychological and behavioral factors, which has large educational and cultural implications. In this study, to address these two issues, we analyzed the survey data of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami disaster. First, from the multiple questionnaire items relevant to the situations of life recovery, we extracted the major elements by factor analysis and investigated their relationship to subjective sense of life recovery. At this time, we compared the relationships obtained between victims who lost their housing and those who did not. Then, we examined the psycho-behavioral as well as demographic factors promoting these life-recovery elements. The factor analysis provides two recovery elements: Well-being (health and social connections) and Housing Recovery (integrity of residential environment). The main determinant of subjective sense of life recovery was the housing recovery element for victims who had lost their houses, while it was the well-being element for those who did not experience housing loss. Among the demographic factors, a robust effect of income on the housing recovery element was identified in both victim groups while the effect of age and household structures on the two elements varied between groups. We clarified that different psycho-behavioral factors promoted two life-recovery elements. Across groups, contribution of leadership to the housing recovery element and that of neuroticism (negative), emotional regulation, and active well-being to the well-being element were identified. The former finding is consistent with the importance of consensus building in housing reconstruction, and the latter may reflect the role of common psycho-behavioral capacity oriented to individuals’ well-being including social aspects. The two life-recovery elements and their promoting factors thus identified may provide a parsimonious macroscopic framework for the evaluation and promotion of life recovery from disasters, and have practical utility for an educational approach to strengthening community resilience.

Does Personality and Anxiety Symptomatology Matter in the Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Adherence? A Cross-Sectional Study Among Women with Diabetes Mellitus.

Abstract&#x0D; Purpose: Anxiety is prevalent among women with diabetes mellitus. Women also tend to have higher levels of neuroticism and anxiety. These symptoms can have an impact on social functioning and diabetes care. The main aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between neuroticism and anxiety symptoms, and other clinical and psychosocial variables, among women with diabetes mellitus (DM).&#x0D; Patients and methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on women with diabetes mellitus. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were acquired, including perceptions on religious practice, social support, and diabetic self-care. Study subjects completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) and the Big-Five Inventory (BFI). The neuroticism subscale of the BFI was used for analysis.&#x0D; Results: The study included 141 subjects (Median age: 64.0 years, IQR: 52.5–71.0 years) with a median duration of diabetes of 12.0 years (IQR: 6.0–20.0 years). Neuroticism scores correlated positively with the GAD-7 scores (Spearman’s rho: 0.406; p&lt;0.001). In the bivariate analysis, neuroticism also had significant association with employment status (p=0.023), religious practice (p=0.006), perceived social support (p=0.001), and perceived ability of diabetic self-management (p&lt;0.001). In the regression analysis, after controlling for employment, religious practice, and social support, neuroticism remained associated with anxiety (p&lt;0.001) and diabetic self-management (p=0.001).&#x0D; Conclusions: Neuroticism was related to poorer subjective sense of diabetic management and a greater level of anxiety among women with DM. Improving self-efficacy in managing diabetes may help patients coping up with anxiety symptoms among those with neuroticism traits. This may also contribute to a better understanding of features and effective treatment of women with DM.&#x0D; &#x0D;

ПОКАЗНИКИ ПОЧУТТЯ КОНТРОЛЮ У МОЛОДОМУ ВІЦІ: ПОРІВНЯЛЬНИЙ АСПЕКТ

Sense of control over life events which happen in everyday life (personal and social) can play a role of a self-defence mechanism in stress situations that occurs in a crisis society. The research suggests that process of searching ways and methods to take control over stress events not only is a process of psychological adaptation to unusual stress situation but also is a natural instinct is presented in everyone. Interestingly, there is a lack of empirical studies of subjective sense of being in control and indicators of sense of personal control among young Ukrainians. The purpose of this article is to investigate indicators of sense of control factors’ distribution in two independent study of young Lviv citizens. The study uses established metrics called «subjective control measure». Two studies were conducted for proper assessment of working hypothesis. 90 participants of different sexes, aged from 14 to 35, who work and study in Lviv, took part in the first study. 68 female and male participants aged from 16 to 17, who were students of Lviv secondary school № 2, took part in the second study. The null hypothesis suggests that participants from the first and second study will have different subjective sense of control factors’ distribution. Factor analysis of the first study (2016) participants highlighted the following sense of control factors: measure of personal presentation in control, control factors for outside social world, methods of upbringing (education) and life principles, quality of implementation controls, future without obeying, pedantic control, democratic control, external presentation control, work process management control. In the second study (2017), factor analysis showed the following six sense of control indicators: structured progressive control, perfection business control, external presentation control, work accuracy control, over control, parental control. Next steps for the study will be the analysis of sense of control in participants of different ages on the basis of the improved «subjective control measure».

Refining the Assessment of Entitlement in Romantic Relationships: The Sense of Relational Entitlement Scale-Revised (SRE-R).

Objective: A subjective sense of entitlement is strongly evoked in the context of romantic relationships. A pathological sense of entitlement results from believing a partner should fulfill all one’s needs and wishes (inflated) or that the expression of genuine needs is illegitimate (restricted). This study aimed to validate a revised, improved version of the Sense of Relational Entitlement scale entitled the Sense of Relational Entitlement scale—Revised (SRE-R). We hypothesized it would have good factor structure and convergent validity, and that attachment dimensions and relationship indices would predict both inflated and restricted subscales.Method: The SRE-R was completed by 854 Israeli adults (8.3% males) aged 31.94 ± 8.02. A subset (n = 629) also completed measures of attachment (ECR-S) and 447 completed measures of relational authenticity, pathological concern, and relational obsessions and compulsions.Results: CFA confirmed two factors, inflated and restricted sense of relational entitlement. Relational obsessive-compulsive symptoms and pathological concern predicted an inflated sense of entitlement, and attachment avoidance, pathological concern, and authenticity in relationships predicted a restricted sense of entitlement.Discussion: The SRE-R is a valid and useful tool to assess sense of entitlement in romantic relationships and should be examined in diverse samples and cultures.

Hitting Close to Home: The Effect of COVID-19 Illness in the Social Environment on Psychological Burden in Older Adults.

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 experience of infection in the individual’s social environment on psychological burden controlling for a broad range of factors using data on an older population (50+ years). Based on the empirical evidence of preexisting studies, it is hypothesized that psychological burden will increase concurrent to the severity of COVID-19 experience (tested positive, hospitalized, and death) independent of the other stressors resulting from the pandemic, such as a subjective sense of uncertainty or financial burden. Data of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in EUROPE, and a European cross-national panel study were used to examine this hypothesis. Besides Chi2 test and Spearman’s rho, a logistic regression model was constructed to test the hypothesized model. The study confirms that there is significantly higher risk for psychological burden by heightened COVID-19 severity in the social environment independent of multiple also significantly influential variables depicting stressors to everyday life of older people during the pandemic. The results point to the importance of multiple factors (social, financial, health, and sociodemographic) which have significantly affected the psychological condition of the individual during the past year. Conclusively, the results illustrate the dilemma that infection and illness in the social circle, as well as countermeasures (social distancing), have negative consequences for our mental health.