Authors
Bita Fayaz-Farkhad, Haesung (Annie) Jung, Christopher (CJ) Calabrese, and Dolores Albarracín.
Citation
Fayaz Farkhad, B., Jung, H., Calabrese, C., & Albarracín, D. (2023). State policies increase vaccination by shaping social norms. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 21227. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48604-5
Abstract
In a survey and four preregistered experiments, we examined if implementing a vaccine-promoting policy is likely to encourage vaccination by shaping the norms of a society. By combining state-level policy data with a longitudinal survey, we found that vaccine-supportive policies and laws are associated with more positive social norms. To establish a causal effect, we conducted four preregistered experiments to gauge the impact of policies, including the government recommendation for children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and changes in funding for immunization programs. We find that vaccine-supportive policies strengthen the intention to receive an additional recommended COVID-19 booster shot and the intention to vaccinate children against COVID-19. We also find that these effects are mediated by the promotion of social norms supportive of vaccination. In this context, communicating about laws and policies in favor of vaccination may create a culture of vaccination and increase vaccination coverage.
Keywords
health policy, human behavior, vaccination, social norms, COVID-19.