Put your mask on first to help others: Attachment and sentinel behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic

The objective of this research was to learn whether attachment style is related to the ways people try to warn, protect, and care for others during the pandemic and what kinds, if any, personal protective measures they are taking. Data were collected in early May 2020 from 200 Amazon MTurk (AMT) workers who participated in exchange for payment. People who were high in attachment-related anxiety were more likely to behave as “sentinels” (i.e., warning loved ones to engage in safe practices such as hand washing, wearing a face mask), whereas those high in attachment avoidance were less likely to do so. These findings suggest that insecure attachment may contribute to peoples' willingness to protect themselves and others during the pandemic.