"Remarkable" public mental strength will continue as lockdown 2.0 begins
Professor of social psychology Stephen Reicher thinks the new regulations will be followed well by the vast majority.
The people of Glasgow, the west and Scotland as whole can be trusted to behave during the new lockdown procedures.
We've only to leave our homes for essential reasons which, as outlined by Nicola Sturgeon at Holyrood yesterday, include food shopping, exercise, care, or to be part of an extended household.
Schools will be closed for the whole of this month as the message from Government was made clear: "Stay at home."
We'll all have seen people breaking, bending or forgetting rules as they've come in and our of enforcement since the first lockdown last March, but Professor of social psychology at St Andrews University Stephen Reicher says more than 90 per cent of us obeyed instructions.
He is convinced the vast majority of us will find the necessary mental strength and have our moral compasses pointed in the direction of getting us out of this pandemic, greatly outnumbering anyone who acts in their own self-interest.
He told Clyde News: "Anyone who sees the evidence should recognise the inevitability of this lockdown.
"The infection rate is way over the level at which the WHO say things are 'out of control'.
"What we've seen throughout this pandemic is that people have been remarkable in terms of their resilience and adherence to rules.
"That happens when, firstly, they recognise the inevitability; secondly, when what they're being asked to do is clear; and thirdly, they're given the support to be able to abide by the restrictions.
"A key issue now is the extent to which the Government is going to be able to support people who can't work and support them to stay at home.
"If that happens, the evidence shows very clearly that people understand and will do the right thing."
An obvious change in circumstance from the previous lockdown is the time of year it's being implemented.
Last April and into the summer, temperatures were rising, skies were blue at 9pm and temptation was begging us to make the most of the weather.
The resilience alluded to by Professor Reicher was tested in those moments, but what about now when we're being told to stay indoors and avoid going out in the wind, rain and ice?
"Time of year is a really interesting aspect of this," says Christopher Hand, a psychologist at GCU.
"The opportunities to get outside might be more limited because we've got less daylight, slippery ground and wet and windy weather.
"It's important people get out and have access to greenspace to keep active, alone or with their own household, but on the other side of the coin there's the potential for people to want to stay inside and keep warm, almost hibernating."
But that could bring about an issue in it's own right: "What people must resist is the temptation to invite people into their own homes," Hand continued.
"It is important that people don't become isolated, but you cannot give in to the urge to have people over."
Professor Reichar concurred and says given mass vaccination is in sight, people can't lose sight of the bigger picture.
He said: "People adhered the first time, not because it was easy, but because it was the right thing to do for themselves, family and community.
"The same is true this time because it would be particularly tragic now with the vaccination in sight to lose people with hope looming on the horizon.
"It's going to be tough, nobody wants it to happen, but the light is at the end of the tunnel and we specifically must pay attention now."