**2. Psychological adaptation after COVID-19 through the lens of evolutionary psychology**

According to evolutionary psychology, evolutionary changes shape not only the physique but also the mind, where psychological systems are triggered, which are thought to be psychological modifications meant to handle issues that previously aided to survival and growth. Natural selection represents a crucial principle that Darwin offered that underlies much of current psychology study. It directs psychologists to groupings of evolutionary issues associated with survival and development.

Evolutionary theory, according to Wiles [15], explains "the diversity of species that has arisen through descent and adaptation from a distinguished ancestor." It refers to variations in life forms of living creatures over time as a result of inherent differences and organic selection processes that contribute to more egregious preservation and fertility rates of those better adapted to their surroundings, striving to increase the frequency of unique characteristics in the inhabitants. Whereas it is commonly believed that variance occurs at random intervals, natural selection guides the process and leads to the formation of multiple stressors that influence people differently, like access to food, global warming, and other types of competitions between organisms in the similar area [16].

Exclusion of population groups due to location or biological constraints might cause them to follow divergent evolutionary pathways, resulting in differentiation. Furthermore, the evolutionary theory contends that the existing variety of living species arose from a limited number of ancient predecessors [17]. The concept of evolution, as distinct from abiogenesis, thereby describes the cycle of exchange associated with every species, like the era of modern humans and our evolution from universal ancestors with other primates [18].

During the coronavirus epidemic in 2020, there will be significant variations in how people experience their lives. Teaching and learning processes in academic environments have evolved from conventional tactics such as face-to-face exchanges to digital training, in which students utilize technology and computer devices to communicate with online content. Many businesses have failed as a result of lockdowns. Those who can adjust to such alterations more rapidly and easily, on the other hand, will attend more competition. Furthermore, social relationships have shifted in so many aspects that the phrase "new normal" has become commonly used to characterize new appropriate behaviors that individuals have developed in response to the epidemic. In this chapter, we discuss psychological features thought to indicate traits of persons who can successfully adjust to challenges.

### **3. Resilience: the psychological trait of being able to bounce back**

For an exceptionally extended period, the word "resilience" has been hotly disputed in psychology since it has diverse, complicated meanings depending on a

#### *A Way Forward: Psychological Adaptation and Transformation of Life Post COVID-19 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107161*

person, a community, and a country, if they designate it as a feature, a practice, or a result. There are several ways to describe resiliency. The term "resilience" is derived from the Latin word "Resilens," which indicates "the elastic property of a material" [19]. The capacity to "come back from hardship, disappointment, and misfortune" [20] is equally described as a talent that will later "advance in self-responsibility" [21]. Another description of resilience represents the capacity to respond to stress-related situations calmly [22], like the capacity to restore instantly from traumatic circumstances [22, 23]. Furthermore, resilience is determined by whether people permit themselves to be overpowered by pressure and hardship or if they endure and adapt to obstacles [24]. Nevertheless, resilience can alter as a result of a person's development and interaction with the world [25]. Individuals may be more resistant at points in their life and less resilient at others [23].

In terms of cultural ramifications, the notion of resiliency varies according to a person's surroundings and mastery expertise. Face-to-face conversations with Afghans on their own meaning of the word "resilience" were utilized by researchers who conducted research in Afghanistan [26]. The research demonstrated resilience, which indicates "faith." They found that the Afghan people prioritized the future above the past since it dictated their current problems and well-being because what happened in the past could not be reversed. Similarly, as per the study of Michel Ungar, which was undertaken in various nationalities, resilience can vary substantially depending on cultural and contextual factors [27]. As a consequence, instead of concentrating on individual resilience, we should improve people's levels of resilience to boost resilience capacity in each person. This will lead to more possibilities for them to maintain a livelier life [28]. This refers to the concept of systemic resiliency, or the provision of excellent education and resources so that individuals may recognize their capability [29].

Resilience training may help with both therapeutic and preventative strategies for approaching problems. To begin, "the challenge model" proposes that if people encounter the danger of a non-tragic exposure occurrence, they will enhance their knowledge and manage it in the future [30]. For example, when teens are confronted with a modest degree of risk variables, they can benefit from it and practice what they have acquired when confronted with the same desperate circumstance in the future. Children are prepared for emergency response procedures and how to respond to a house fire during fire drills. Furthermore, "the compensating model" defines resilience as a strategy for avoiding traumatic experiences [31]. This is reinforced by studies on teenage alcohol withdrawal, which will reduce the risk of suicide in teens [32]. Inexorably, "the protective factor model" proposes that if dangers are minimized, the likelihood of a bad result decreases [30]. According to Andersson and Ledogar's [32] research, when young individuals are not introduced to substances, they are less prone to consume alcoholic beverages; consequently, reducing the risk for suicide.

Nevertheless, resilience exhibits some unique traits that set it apart from positivity, faith, and other attributes [33]. For example, being "proactive and reactive" in the face of overwhelming odds is a resiliency attribute. It is also defined as "the ability to come back" from traumas and life-altering situations [22, 34]. As a result, resilience may be defined as positive attitudes on risk variables that may be identified as risks that increase the likelihood of a poor consequence or decrease the likelihood of an optimistic one [35]. Put differently, resilience entails doing something and responding to adversity. Optimism and hope, on the other hand, represent solely optimistic states of thought. Briefly expressed, hope and optimism are best applied to events that may occur with a plan and can be described using identifiable variables, whereas

resilience includes the need to be flexible, adjustable, and improvable in specific conditions [36].

Keeping everything discussed above in mind, resilience may be acquired by putting things in context and recognizing unreasonable thinking. It is eminent to recognize a transformation is unavoidable to develop adaptability. Being both positive and adaptable will aid a person in coping with adverse conditions. Lastly, learn from history and improve the future [33]. There are several daily steps that everyone may undertake to improve their resistance. For instance, individuals can go for a stroll to nourish their bodies moving and generate endorphins into their bodies. People can equally strike up conversations with someone they are familiar with and can have a general discussion. Gathering a deep breath every time they are anxious may also be beneficial. People who acquire this personality feature are more likely to reinforce their **"**self-responsibility," allowing them to study more effectively and develop in a vigorous manner since they have conquered challenges [37]. To explain the psychological effect of resilience, we can look at a recent ecological model that was suggested by researchers based on resilience including various resources that were found to be directly associated with resilience and non-resilience [38].

### **4. Agility: the psychological trait of adapting to changes**

Many individuals have explored the word "agility" or **"**learning agility" and attempted to define it. The capacity to retain from experience shows people's capacity to control the changing requirements of their employment, according to the definition of **"**agility" [39]. It was equally described as **"**a person's capacity to study consists of a broad and varied number of characteristics and proficiencies, including but are not restricted to persons' intellectual ability [40, 41], eagerness to study and active pursuit of educational possibilities [42, 43], and personal characteristics such as openness to experience [44]."

The potential to do so rapidly and in a variety of circumstances was also termed agility [45, 46]. In their search for a more precise definition of the term, DeRue et al. [47] revealed that learning agility has been predominantly associated with the capacity to learn. They then defined academic agility as **"**the aptitude to rapidly absorb a situation and move between ideas flexibly in service of knowledge inside and between interactions." They also established a scheme of learning agility based on the findings of Eichinger and Lombardo [48], which imply there are two essential elements of learning agility: speed and flexibility.

According to the work of Eichinger and Lombardo [48], agility is essential for the implementation of this psychological structure, as **"**the building of learning agility originated from the need to produce considerable numbers of competent workers capable of performing successfully in a changing situation." The research by Neubert et al. [49] additionally notes that **"**the association between learning agility and the trend for no routine and dynamic workplace features is evident." For instance, it is crucial to select a worker with high agility so that he or she can adapt to or respond to a variety of unforeseen situations. On a broader scale, Baran and Bible's [50] study propose, "At the group level, agility extends on what we know about high-performance groups by adding behaviours and mindsets that facilitate insight making and swift decision making." Additionally, as a business attribute, agility may benefit the company in a variety of ways. Gligor et al. [51] provide six elements of the qualities of agility that contribute to the growth of a business, including the ability to quickly change

course, speed/accelerate processes, monitor the environment, encourage the client, modify strategies and processes (versatility), and integrate processes across firms.
