Anti-vaccination attitudes are associated with less analytical and more intuitive reasoning. Issue 10 (26th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Caravaggio, Fernando; Porco, Natasha; Kim, Julia; Fervaha, Gagan; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Gerretsen, Philip
• Is Part Of: Psychology, health & medicine. Volume 27:Issue 10(2022)
• Page Start: 2113
• Page End: 2125
• Publication Date: 2022-11-26
• Subjects: Cognitive reflection test -- CRT -- vaccination attitudes examination scale -- VAX -- anti-vaccine; Medicine and psychology -- Periodicals; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2021.2014911
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-8506

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Online anti-vaccination rhetoric has produced far reaching negative health consequences. Persons who endorse anti-vaccination attitudes may employ less analytical reasoning when problem solving. Considering limitations in previous research, we used an online web-based survey (n = 760; mean age = 47.69; 388 males, 372 females) to address this question. Analytical reasoning was negatively correlated with anti-vaccination attitudes ( r = −.18, p < .0001). This relationship remained significant after statistically controlling for potential confounders, including age, sex, education, and religiosity ( r = −.16, p < .0001). We hope that elucidating the cognitive, non-information-based aspects of anti-vaccination attitudes will help to guide effective educational interventions aimed at improving public health in the future.