Trust in scientists, risk perception, conspiratorial beliefs, and unrealistic optimism: A network approach to investigating the psychological underpinnings of COVID-19 vaccination intentions

StatusVoR
cris.lastimport.scopus2025-04-11T03:10:30Z
dc.abstract.enUsing 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.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii w Warszawie
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorCasara, Bruno Gabriel Salvador
dc.contributor.authorMartinez-Conde, Susana
dc.contributor.authorDoliński, Dariusz
dc.contributor.authorSuitner, Caterina
dc.contributor.authorGenschow, Oliver
dc.contributor.authorMuniak, Paweł
dc.contributor.authorKulesza, Wojciech
dc.date.access2022-11-10
dc.date.accessioned2024-06-27T08:22:22Z
dc.date.available2024-06-27T08:22:22Z
dc.date.created2022-06-01
dc.date.issued2022-10-11
dc.description.abstract<title xmlns="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/JATS1" /> <p xmlns="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/JATS1">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.</p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.physical1-22
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume17
dc.identifier.doi10.32872/spb.7807
dc.identifier.issn2569-653X
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/756
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://spb.psychopen.eu/index.php/spb/article/view/7807
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.subject.enCOVID-19
dc.subject.enoptimism
dc.subject.enpessimism
dc.subject.enunrealistic optimism bias
dc.subject.enrisk perception
dc.subject.envaccination hesitancy
dc.subject.encognitive illusions
dc.subject.enpositive illusions
dc.subject.enconspiracy
dc.subject.encoronavirus
dc.subject.entrust in science
dc.swps.sciencecloudnosend
dc.titleTrust in scientists, risk perception, conspiratorial beliefs, and unrealistic optimism: A network approach to investigating the psychological underpinnings of COVID-19 vaccination intentions
dc.title.journalSocial Psychological Bulletin
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle