Social Distancing from Foreign Individuals As a Disease-Avoidance Mechanism: Testing the Behavioral Immune System Theory during the COVID-19 Pandemic

One of the theoretical approaches explaining avoidance tendencies is behavioral immune system theory. BIS aims to identify and avoid pathogens, and is triggered by cues of potential disease threats, such as from members of out-group. We present mediational models of BIS in COVID-19 pandemic context as a natural disease threat.