Gonna riff on this because it's goes to one of my favorite questions: How do people come to believe what they come to believe, esp during periods of high uncertainty when they HAVE to make a decision—ie, voting in an election, or deciding on how to behave during a global plague? https://twitter.com/MattGrossmann/status/1312374092444598273

I think we can be honest that most people's behavior right now is a blend of:

a) scientific semi-comprehension
b) social mimicry
c) socio-political motivated reasoning
d) prior values

... with different emphasis given to various parts of that portfolio, depending on the person

My (a)-thru-(d) is something like:

a) COVID is airborne, thrives in unventilated spaces
b) my friends/contacts are pro-mask
c) most ppl who disagree with a/b are from another tribe, so I discount their views
d) i trust scientists, not the white house

I'd guess many Trumpers/WH workers have a different set:

(a) COVID isn't serious, doesn't affect most ppl
(b) everyone around me says we're overreacting
(c) most ppl who disagree with a/b are from another tribe, so I discount their views
(d) Trump's my guy, liberals are annoying

Our decisions in uncertain periods flows from a portfolio of social advertising and political motivations and defensive maneuvers to preserve our identity. The tragedy is that the right has built an identity that's so antagonized by appeals to science and social thinking.