Top, M.C. (2023) Trust in Uncertain Scientific COVID-19 Information: The role of the Source and Intolerance of Uncertainty. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
The present research seeks to find insight into how to communicate scientific information effectively. Since science comes with uncertainties, it is important how to convey this type of uncertainty to the public without losing trust. In the context of COVID-19, this study manipulates uncertainty and different sources to find out the effects on trust. Moreover, it is tested whether intolerance of uncertainty influences trust. The study uses a dataset from an online study (N=197). Participants read a text about the effectiveness of the booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer/Biotech). In the text was uncertainty either present or absent and communicated by a different source (the government vs. scientists). Findings show that although people perceived uncertainty when it was present, this did not affect their trust in the information or the source. Also, no effect of intolerance of uncertainty was seen. This suggests communicators can be more transparent in communicating scientific uncertainty.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Otten, S. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Applied Social Psychology (ASP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Feb 2023 14:59 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Feb 2023 14:59 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/1738 |
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