Linking the behavioral immune system to COVID-19 vaccination intention: The mediating role of the need for cognitive closure and vaccine hesitancy

Abstract

Vaccination has become one of the most effective ways of controlling the spread of COVID-19. Consequently, revealing the evolutionary and cognitive antecedents of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccination intention has become crucial. Drawing on the theory of behavioral immune system (BIS), we investigate whether perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD) is associated with vaccination intentions through the need for cognitive closure (NCC) and vaccine hesitancy. The data was collected from 525 adults from Turkey. The structural equation modeling results indicate that of the two dimensions of PVD, germ aversion predicts COVID-19 vaccination intention through sequential mediation of NCC and vaccine hesitancy. Perceived infectability, on the other hand, is directly and positively related to vaccination intention. By showing the mediating role of NCC, our results offer an insight as to why germ aversion translates into vaccine hesitancy, and low vaccination intention. We discuss the potential benefits of considering the roles of BIS and NCC in campaigns and policies targeted at increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake and suggest implications for such practices.

COVID-19 vaccination intention: The combined role of pathogen disgust and trust in government

“…Specifically, individuals’ COVID-19 vaccination intention was higher when they had higher levels of pathogen disgust and higher levels of trust in government. Solak et al (2022) suggested that pathogen disgust is a fear of physical contamination and that individuals with high pathogen disgust are more sensitive to disease and contaminated environments, have greater uncertainty, and have a strong need for cognitive closure, so they want to make decisions as quickly as possible to eliminate this cognitive load at the expense of careful review of COVID-19 vaccines. Trust in the vaccine source/information can satisfy this need for cognitive closure and reduce uncertainty, thus making people more willing to vaccinate.…”

The mediating role of product judgment and country of origin effect on health literacy and behavioral intention: A study on COVID-19 vaccines perception of Turkish consumers

“…When it comes to vaccines, people are expected to have advanced health literacy to be able to make recommendations. Studies on this subject show that the doubts about the vaccine should be eliminated 39 , 40 and consumers need to receive positive feedback on the vaccines to be able to recommend them. Thus, previous studies on the subject support the hypotheses of this study.…”

“…In order to understand the behavioral intentions of consumers, it is necessary to first understand the impact of vaccines on health consumers, to be informed on the side effects of vaccines, and to identify the hesitations regarding vaccines. 39 , 40 Informing the public and managing the risks and crisis in health consumption is effective in increasing cognitive risk perception and reducing their emotional risk perception. 41 , 42 From this point of view, the health literacy levels of consumers can be said to shape their behavioral intentions.…”

The behavioral immune system in action: Psychological correlates of pathogen disgust sensitivity in healthcare professionals working in a COVID-19 hospital

“…A possible explanation is that vaccines are administered in ways that in and by themselves are cues to contamination, such as puncturing the skin, and inhalation or ingestion of a foreign substance [3] . Early data on COVID-19 vaccines suggest that germ aversion predicts vaccination hesitancy during the current pandemic as well [ 13 , 25 ], even though there is a study reporting opposite findings [11] .…”