The leaders in this covid19 crisis need to find a balance between severe and empathetic in order to persuade more people to follow the health restrictions and guidelines, says behavioural therapist Dr Stacy Murray.
They also need to vary their presentations to affect people of different backgrounds and learning styles.
Murray said each person has a different trigger that would cause them to change their mindset and behaviour, and to do this takes a lot of time and effort.
Asked why some people still disregard the health restrictions and guidelines, she believed people do not want to accept what is happening in the country. To accept would challenge their mental state and that is something many people could not handle.
“Generally people have become numb. Covid19 is all over the world, it’s not going anywhere so it’s like it has become part of life. So you are no longer afraid of what it can do to you, or you just switch off your emotions when it comes to covid so you don’t have to face the reality of what is taking place and you just continue living like normal. Because if you have to sit and think about it, you’re going to be affected psychologically.”
In addition, she said the culture in Trinidad and Tobago (TT) was to challenge authority and people do not like to be told what to do.
“I think the leaders understand the culture of TT and that is the reason why the presentations are geared towards that. If they bring it more subtle, I don’t think it will be effective at all. The message also has to be continuously repeated, to which I think they are doing a good job.”
Murray told Sunday Newsday if the tone of the presentations is too empathetic, people would not see it as genuine. It may win over some of the most vulnerable in society who want to know they are being seen and understood but others may see it as part of a political agenda.
She suggests focussing on different aspects of the population at different press conferences as well as changing their presentations – which have now become routine.
[caption id="attachment_893831" align="alignnone" width="768"] Richard Rampersad, UNC councillor for St Augustine South/ Piarco/ St Helena. Photo courtesy Richard Rampersad. -[/caption]
For example, use an empathetic tone to appeal to the vulnerable today, use numbers and finance and a more stern tone for the businessmen on the next, research and statistics for the more educated and research-oriented citizens, a more simple presentation for children.
“It all depends on the population. That’s why I said creating a balance would reach the majority of the people of different classes in the population as opposed to staying on the extreme ends. Because whoever the message hits and reaches, they would change.
“Then there are some who, all the graphs and research would not change anything because they don’t understand what is being said. Not everyone is visual, not everyone can sit and listen, so they have to make sure their presentat
