The Psychology of Ebola

By Jacob Ausubel 

According to the World Health Organization, the 2014 Ebola epidemic resulted in 3,439 confirmed casualties by October 3^rd. The number of Ebola cases in West Africa could reach 1.4 million by the end of this year. Considering that the current strain of Ebola is highly virulent and has about a 50% fatality rate, thousands of people will most likely die in October, November, and December. Scientists are concerned that the problem could become more severe if Ebola spreads to other countries or if the virus becomes airborne. The United Nations estimated that $1 billion is required to contain the epidemic. However, the international community only invested a fraction of that cost by the beginning of October. 

The lackluster response to Ebola makes sense from a psychological perspective. In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience on October 9^th, 2013, a team of Max Planck researchers made several observations about human empathy. According to the paper, people who are in an “agreeable and comfortable situation” have difficulty empathizing with an individual’s suffering. This research suggests that westerners, unacquainted with Ebola prior to 2014 and accustomed to receiving high-quality health service, do not find the problem in West Africa relatable.

Another explanation for the response is that people spend more time focusing on positive outcomes than negative outcomes. Research conducted by neuroscientist Elizabeth Phelps suggests

that the “[direction] of thoughts of the future toward the positive” is due to the interaction between the frontal cortex, a part of the brain, with subcortical regions deep inside of the brain. Phelps’ research suggests that members of the public are not spending enough time thinking about the spread of the Ebola virus across the globe. Consequently, an inadequate amount of money is being spent to mitigate the effects of the virus. In fact, a CNN survey released in mid-September 2014 indicates that only 27% of Americans are worried about getting Ebola.

Americans should be far more concerned about Ebola than they are right now. The spread of the virus poses a risk not only to people’s lives but also to the global economy as well. The situation is not necessarily helpless. People are capable of empathizing with others, as the research of the Max Planck scientists suggests. The United States should inform citizens about the dangers of the virus so that Americans empathize more with the suffering of West Africans.