Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions
Using a network approach, we addressed in two studies interrelations among potential antecedents of vaccine intentions, related to both COVID-19 risk perception and epistemic beliefs (i.e., trust in scientists and conspiracy beliefs). In Study 1 and 2, we assessed a US (N = 994) and an international...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Social Psychological Bulletin |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://spb.psychopen.eu/index.php/spb/article/view/7807 |
| _version_ | 1797970243309535232 |
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| author | Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara Susana Martinez-Conde Dariusz Dolinski Caterina Suitner Oliver Genschow Pawel Muniak Wojciech Kulesza |
| author_facet | Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara Susana Martinez-Conde Dariusz Dolinski Caterina Suitner Oliver Genschow Pawel Muniak Wojciech Kulesza |
| author_sort | Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Using a network approach, we addressed in two studies interrelations among potential antecedents of vaccine intentions, related to both COVID-19 risk perception and epistemic beliefs (i.e., trust in scientists and conspiracy beliefs). In Study 1 and 2, we assessed a US (N = 994) and an international sample (N = 902) during spring and summer 2020. The network analysis reveals a complex interplay of factors where trust in scientists, the closest predictor of vaccine intention, is associated with conspiracy beliefs and danger perception. Furthermore, we found evidence for unrealistic optimism, with participants perceiving the risk of getting infected with COVID-19 as lower compared to the risk they attributed to other people. However, this bias was not associated with vaccine intention. Study 2 corroborated these results. The results call for a global change in the narrative which should highlight the epistemic authority of science in order to build a stronger trust in the scientific community. However, tackling trust in scientists needs a wider field of persuasion that includes conspiracy beliefs and risk perception factors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:13:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b9515756d5547cb925a9558929bb359 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2569-653X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:13:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Psychological Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b9515756d5547cb925a9558929bb3592023-01-02T10:49:50ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologySocial Psychological Bulletin2569-653X2022-10-011710.32872/spb.7807spb.7807Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination IntentionsBruno Gabriel Salvador Casara0Susana Martinez-Conde1Dariusz Dolinski2Caterina Suitner3Oliver Genschow4Pawel Muniak5Wojciech Kulesza6Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyDepartment of Ophthalmology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, NY, USAFaculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wroclaw, PolandDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, University of Padua, Padua, ItalySocial Cognition Center Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, GermanyWarsaw Faculty, Centre for Research on Social Relations, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wroclaw, PolandUsing a network approach, we addressed in two studies interrelations among potential antecedents of vaccine intentions, related to both COVID-19 risk perception and epistemic beliefs (i.e., trust in scientists and conspiracy beliefs). In Study 1 and 2, we assessed a US (N = 994) and an international sample (N = 902) during spring and summer 2020. The network analysis reveals a complex interplay of factors where trust in scientists, the closest predictor of vaccine intention, is associated with conspiracy beliefs and danger perception. Furthermore, we found evidence for unrealistic optimism, with participants perceiving the risk of getting infected with COVID-19 as lower compared to the risk they attributed to other people. However, this bias was not associated with vaccine intention. Study 2 corroborated these results. The results call for a global change in the narrative which should highlight the epistemic authority of science in order to build a stronger trust in the scientific community. However, tackling trust in scientists needs a wider field of persuasion that includes conspiracy beliefs and risk perception factors.https://spb.psychopen.eu/index.php/spb/article/view/7807covid-19optimismpessimismunrealistic optimism biasrisk perceptionvaccination hesitancycognitive illusionspositive illusionsconspiracycoronavirustrust in science |
| spellingShingle | Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara Susana Martinez-Conde Dariusz Dolinski Caterina Suitner Oliver Genschow Pawel Muniak Wojciech Kulesza Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions Social Psychological Bulletin covid-19 optimism pessimism unrealistic optimism bias risk perception vaccination hesitancy cognitive illusions positive illusions conspiracy coronavirus trust in science |
| title | Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions |
| title_full | Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions |
| title_fullStr | Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions |
| title_short | Trust in Scientists, Risk Perception, Conspiratorial Beliefs, and Unrealistic Optimism: A Network Approach to Investigating the Psychological Underpinnings of COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions |
| title_sort | trust in scientists risk perception conspiratorial beliefs and unrealistic optimism a network approach to investigating the psychological underpinnings of covid 19 vaccination intentions |
| topic | covid-19 optimism pessimism unrealistic optimism bias risk perception vaccination hesitancy cognitive illusions positive illusions conspiracy coronavirus trust in science |
| url | https://spb.psychopen.eu/index.php/spb/article/view/7807 |
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