
pmid: 34629582
pmc: PMC8486622
The behavioral immune system is considered to be a psychological adaptation that decreases the risk of infection. Research suggests that, in the current environment, this system can produce attitudes with negative health consequences, such as increased vaccine hesitancy. In three studies, we investigated whether two facets of the behavioral immune system—contamination aversion (i.e., avoiding potential contamination) and perceived infectability (i.e., perceived susceptibility to disease)—predicted intentions to accept COVID-19, influenza, and measles or general childhood vaccinations. Both contamination aversion and perceived infectability were higher during than before the pandemic. In contrast to previous research, those with higher contamination aversion during the pandemic perceived vaccines to be safer and had higher intentions to accept vaccination. Contamination aversion before the pandemic was not associated with perceived vaccine safety or vaccination intentions during the pandemic. Individuals who perceived themselves as more susceptible to diseases were slightly more willing to accept vaccination. We conjecture that high disease threat reverses the relationship between the behavioral immune system response and vaccination. As the associations were weak, individual differences in contamination aversion and perceived infectability are of little practical relevance for vaccine uptake.
/dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/tedcog, Perceived vulnerability to disease, Vaccination, 150, 610, COVID-19, ta3124, Article, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/cognitive_science, Coronavirus, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/uob_covid19, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/uob_covid19; name=Covid19, name=Covid19, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/tedcog; name=TeDCog, name=Cognitive Science, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/cognitive_science; name=Cognitive Science, name=TeDCog, Behavioral immune system, Vaccine hesitancy, ta515, Disgust
/dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/tedcog, Perceived vulnerability to disease, Vaccination, 150, 610, COVID-19, ta3124, Article, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/cognitive_science, Coronavirus, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/uob_covid19, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/uob_covid19; name=Covid19, name=Covid19, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/tedcog; name=TeDCog, name=Cognitive Science, /dk/atira/pure/core/keywords/cognitive_science; name=Cognitive Science, name=TeDCog, Behavioral immune system, Vaccine hesitancy, ta515, Disgust
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 15 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
