When the coronavirus began its first sweep through the U.S., the country transformed, almost overnight.

Suddenly, people were conducting their whole lives from the confines of their homes. Working, learning, shopping, eating, playing, praying — it all happened right there in the living room.

Normalcy disappeared and challenges took root. Adults reported worsening mental health conditions, linking depression, anxiety and other difficulties to the pandemic and its consequences.

The coronavirus pushed people to new levels of strength. That demand hasn’t faded, especially with the omicron variant’s nationwide sweep. Amid the tragic losses and frustrating inconveniences the pandemic caused, Americans have had to cope. Emerging research is beginning to examine the factors that allowed people to get through the enormous challenge that was and is the COVID-19 pandemic. One recent report spotted a fascinating connection: behavior’s role in resilience.

Can behaviours predict coping?

A study published earlier this year by the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences studied the relationship between the pandemic and human behavior. The researchers considered about 500 young adults living in North America and found direct links between habits and positive and negative coping responses.

The research revealed, for example, that individuals who demonstrated strong emotionality and extroversion were more likely to seek socioemotional support. Participants whose behaviors featured conscientiousness were more ready to adapt COVID-19 safety measures.

The report suggested a connection between personality and negative coping mechanisms, too. Individuals who lacked honesty or humility demonstrated behaviors like increased substance use. The researchers linked low openness to experience with a resistance to emerging science and a hesitancy to problem solve.

Coping beyond the pandemic

As the pandemic continues to unfold, Americans continue to cope. On a large scale, they cope with continuing cases, economic frustrations and health implications. Everyday Americans like you and me also continue to cope with the small and large challenges our lives offer.

Our behaviours offer us insight into how we might deal with those challenges. How will we meet the frustration of an incapable coworker? Will we step up to the plate when the car breaks down, again? The answers to those questions are wrapped up in our behaviours.

Tools and tricks

Our behaviors may hold a lot of information about why we do what we do, but that doesn’t mean we must accept those answers once and for all. Today, the tools exist to help us learn about our personalities and channel our strengths and weaknesses into resilience. My poor crisis response may stand in my way in an emergency, but my vitality will sustain me when the going gets tough.

To find out how PeopleBest can help you and your team learn more about your behaviours, book a demo and set up a time to chat with one of our specialists.

PeopleBest is a revolutionary, simple and powerful way to capture the exact ‘DNA of success’ inside people, teams and companies.