Abstract

The global outbreak of coronavirus disease has brought fear and uncertainty as a natural consequence and along with it, behaviors that are far from expected when facing with this situation. These behaviors seem of little altruism and excessive reaction, increasing the risk of infection of both, the individual and the group. Similarly, it is considered an important vulnerability for the development of psychopathology, especially in a part of the population whose mental health has been affected by autobiographical experiences and genetic predispositions, in other words, individual at risk. This article briefly reviews basic and applied research that partially explains these phenomena, underlining the role that psychological science can play in this emergency.