Gender Differences in Fear and Risk Perception During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Women reported higher levels of fear concerning COVID-19 than men, and this fear correlated with increased adoption of preventative health behaviors. However, this behavioral difference disappeared after controlling for fear, suggesting that fear, rather than gender, drives preventative actions. Interestingly, despite men facing greater objective health risks from COVID-19, women perceived these health risks as higher, while both genders had similar perceptions of financial risks.