There will be a "transition" before people return to normal pre-lockdown behaviour traits says Leeds Beckett psychologist

Dr Gareth Jowett is a senior lecturer in Sport & Exercise Psychology in the Carnegie School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University. He is also a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) with the British Psychological Society and has been looking at the effects of isolation to understand the behaviour traits of people since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

With no previous lockdown situations to compare, the isolation and staying at home has been likened, in part, to offshore workers or people who work in remote and extreme parts of the world.

Studies and observations have found how extrovert and introvert personality types may view lockdown, people striving for perfection may have re-assessed what is important and how will people cope, if and when, a sense of normality is restored.

Dr Jowett said: "At the start of the previous lockdown back in March, I like a lot of people was at a bit of a loss, did not understand what to make of it, this position that many people were in and how best to deal with it.

"But I was fortunate that I knew a few people that have experienced isolation, like working on oil rigs and postings in Antarctica, so I set about interviewing them to gain something that we could work with in terms of dealing with this trauma everybody is experiencing."

Dr Jowett said: "If you are really out-going and extrovert. the idea of staying at home and not seeing other people, you are going to potentially find that more difficult. If you are introvert, you may even appreciate the fact that you don't have to interact in social situations. There have been studies in Germany where they have demonstrated that in their findings.

"There was also talk around people who strive for perfection - whether in their lives, work or sport - and that all of a sudden, the goals that they may have set for themselves or striving for something out of reach, are no longer able to. You are more likely to react in a negative manner from burning out to severe depression. The pandemic is a risk factor for that.

In other ways, the psychologist added, the pandemic had made them re-assess their lifestyles and many people were taking value from more grounding experiences - hence the banana bread analogy.

However, it is unlikely that the mindset of people will snap back to normal once the pandemic and restrictions are over.

Dr Jowett added: "If the switch was to go and the vaccine gets rolled out to such a degree that everybody is seemingly protected, there is still a need for a transition back. We have got used to working from home, I find it strange being back on campus, and it will take people time to adjust to that. Will people stop wearing masks? I am not sure. For different personality types, it will be easier for those that are extrovert and can't wait to hug people at work. But, for those more introvert, a bit more neurotic and if they have been anxious - it will take time to get used to it."

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