PolyU cross-cultural psychology research on COVID-19 receives Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Award from the Ministry of Education
A psychology research project led by Prof. Sylvia CHEN, Limin Professor in Social and Cultural Psychology, Chair Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology of the Department of Applied Social Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), and Director of Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre, has received the Second-class Award (Books and Research Papers category) of the 10th Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Humanities and Social Sciences) conferred by the Ministry of Education. The award recognises the PolyU scholar’s outstanding academic contribution to understanding human psychological and behavioural responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The award-winning project, “Global Consciousness Predicts Behavioral Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence From 35 Cultures”, focused on the scientific question of “how individual psychological consciousness influences cross-cultural behavioural responses” in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as a global public health crisis. Based on the psychological construct “Global Orientation” developed by Prof. Chen and her team, a two-dimensional framework of “Global Consciousness - National Consciousness” was proposed, revealing the dual psychological mechanisms of cooperation and defensiveness that co-exist in humans during crises.
Through large-scale empirical research across 35 countries and regions, this project examined the predictive role of the psychological mechanisms of globalisation in behavioural responses to the pandemic and found the moderating effect of the degree of globalisation, providing evidence for understanding differential social behaviour during the pandemic. The results showed that both global consciousness and national consciousness positively predicted perceived risk of coronavirus and concern about coronavirus. While global consciousness positively predicted prosocial behaviours that benefit others and society as a whole, national consciousness was more likely to drive defensive behaviours, such as cultural exclusion.
Prof. Chen said, “I am honoured to receive this national-level award, which recognises the cross-cultural impacts of our research on human behavioural responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This recognition affirms our commitment to advancing social psychology and deepening our understanding of cooperative and exclusionary behaviours, offering empirical implications for building more cohesive and resilient societies.” Prof. Chen expressed special thanks to her collaborators from PolyU and other institutions, including Prof. Jacky NG, Prof. Bryant HUI, Dr Algae AU, Dr Ben LAM, Dr Wesley WU, Prof. Ngai PUN, Prof. Peter BEATTIE, Prof. Christian WELZEL, and the late Prof. James LIU.
The Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Humanities and Social Sciences) is the most reputable and influential award in the field of philosophy and social sciences across China. Established in 1995, the Award is conferred every three years, targeting higher education institutions nationwide. It aims to motivate researchers in these institutions who have made significant contributions to research in humanities and social sciences, to encourage active exploration into the unknown and innovation, and to promote the development of humanities and social sciences in higher education.
Prof. Chen was also elected as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) in 2024. TWAS is a global science academy based in Trieste, Italy, dedicated to promoting scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in developing countries.
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