Time of pandemic: Temporal perspectives related to compliance with public health regulations concerning the COVID-19 pandemic()

One of the main determinants of the spread of epidemics in human population centres is the degree of compliance with public health regulations. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between time perspective and compliance with public health regulations concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 500 adults (275 women, 225 men) aged 18 to 82 years. Sociodemographic surveys, surveys concerning knowledge about COVID-19 and compliance with public health regulations, the Polish Short Version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, the Present-Fatalistic Scale, the Dark Future Scale, and the Carpe Diem Scale were used. Female gender and Carpe Diem were predictors of compliance with public health regulations. Men complied with public health regulations significantly less often than women. The results of our study suggest that in announcements communicating public health regulations concerning COVID-19 pandemic, emphasis should be placed on stressing the significance of focusing on ‘here and now’ and the importance of current behaviours for the future.