COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults
In the present research, we focus on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, and empirically examine how different forms of social identity (defensive vs. secure national identity and identification with all humanity) and conspiracy beliefs are associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. In two cross-sectional...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/2/268 |
| _version_ | 1797476147359907840 |
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| author | Marta Marchlewska Katarzyna Hamer Maria Baran Paulina Górska Krzysztof Kaniasty |
| author_facet | Marta Marchlewska Katarzyna Hamer Maria Baran Paulina Górska Krzysztof Kaniasty |
| author_sort | Marta Marchlewska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the present research, we focus on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, and empirically examine how different forms of social identity (defensive vs. secure national identity and identification with all humanity) and conspiracy beliefs are associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. In two cross-sectional nationwide surveys (Study 1, <i>n</i> = 432, and Study 2, <i>n</i> = 807), we found that willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 was negatively linked to national narcissism, but positively related to a secure national identification, that is, national identification without the narcissistic component. In both studies, we also found that the relationship between narcissistic (vs. secure) national identity and unwillingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 was mediated by COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy beliefs. These effects were present even when we accounted for basic demographics (Studies 1 and 2) and identification with all humanity (Study 2), which had been found to be a significant predictor of health behaviors during COVID-19. In line with previous research, identification with all humanity was positively associated with the willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19. We discuss the implications for understanding the role of the way in which people identify with their national and supranational groups in antiscience attitudes and (mal)adaptive behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:53:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c34eb15cabc44895b8119fc84f71e12f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:53:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-c34eb15cabc44895b8119fc84f71e12f2023-11-23T22:26:17ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2022-02-0110226810.3390/vaccines10020268COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish AdultsMarta Marchlewska0Katarzyna Hamer1Maria Baran2Paulina Górska3Krzysztof Kaniasty4Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1 Jaracza St., 00-378 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1 Jaracza St., 00-378 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 19/31 Chodakowska St., 03-815 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, 5/6 Stawki St., 00-183 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 1 Jaracza St., 00-378 Warsaw, PolandIn the present research, we focus on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, and empirically examine how different forms of social identity (defensive vs. secure national identity and identification with all humanity) and conspiracy beliefs are associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. In two cross-sectional nationwide surveys (Study 1, <i>n</i> = 432, and Study 2, <i>n</i> = 807), we found that willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 was negatively linked to national narcissism, but positively related to a secure national identification, that is, national identification without the narcissistic component. In both studies, we also found that the relationship between narcissistic (vs. secure) national identity and unwillingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 was mediated by COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy beliefs. These effects were present even when we accounted for basic demographics (Studies 1 and 2) and identification with all humanity (Study 2), which had been found to be a significant predictor of health behaviors during COVID-19. In line with previous research, identification with all humanity was positively associated with the willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19. We discuss the implications for understanding the role of the way in which people identify with their national and supranational groups in antiscience attitudes and (mal)adaptive behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/2/268willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19COVID-19 conspiracy beliefsnational narcissismnational identificationidentification with all humanity |
| spellingShingle | Marta Marchlewska Katarzyna Hamer Maria Baran Paulina Górska Krzysztof Kaniasty COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults Vaccines willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs national narcissism national identification identification with all humanity |
| title | COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults |
| title_full | COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults |
| title_short | COVID-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? The Role of Social Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults |
| title_sort | covid 19 why do people refuse vaccination the role of social identities and conspiracy beliefs evidence from nationwide samples of polish adults |
| topic | willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs national narcissism national identification identification with all humanity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/2/268 |
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