Risk perception, emotions, social norms, trust, and attitudes towards vaccination
Résumé
The covid-19 crisis caused unprecedented health and economic disruption. The end of the crisis was made possible by the adoption of health measures: barrier measures and, above all, vaccination of a large proportion of the population. A detailed understanding of the factors determining risk perception and acceptance of vaccination therefore seems essential. In this article, based on a survey of 12,000 people in three countries, we explore the effects of this ideology, trust, emotions, and social norms. We confirm the role of ideology and add dimensions by assessing their sensitivity to fake news or conspiracy theories. We also corroborate that emotional state has a strong influence on attitudes. If the situation in their country generates anger, they are more likely to oppose vaccination. On the other hand, if they are worried or express hope, they are more likely to adopt a favorable attitude to vaccination. We show that social norms concerning the behavior expected by those around them have a decisive effect. Finally, we show that trust in scientists strongly influences the effect of campaigns promoting the individual and collective benefits of vaccination.