People’s experiences and attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and Poland 1

There is a limited understanding of how people in different sociocultural contexts fare during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they view their societies’ responses. This study compares COVID-19 perceived threat, governmental response, impacts, and experiences in the United States and Poland. An online survey was conducted in June and July 2020 using published COVID-19 instruments. The sample consisted of 538 participants (54% US-based). The study found COVID-19 perceived threat and impacts (e.g., logistical, psychological) to be generally lower in Poland than in the United States. However, views on government responses (e.g., lockdowns) were largely similar. Conservatives and moderates perceived COVID-19 threat as lower than liberals did, but trust in science explained the effect for moderates. Also, women had a greater fear of coronavirus than did men. These and other findings confirm and extend prior knowledge. The discussion focuses on the role of ideological divide in shaping COVID-19 attitudes/experiences in these two countries.