Haen, Rowan (2022) Refusing the COVID-19 Vaccines: Justifications, FLICC Strategies and (Dis)Trust. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
From a scientific perspective, it has been shown that vaccinations are the best way to prevent serious illness and potential death from COVID-19, and to redcuce transmission of the virus (CDC, 2022). Still, several people choose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We investigated through sixteen interviews how people justify their choice not to be vaccinated and if their justifications are substantiated by FLICC strategies (Diethelm et al., 2009) These are: fake experts, logical fallacies, impossible expectations, cherry-picking and conspiracy theories. In addition, we looked at who these people trust for information about COVID-19 vaccines since they do not follow official advice. The interviews revealed that there are three overarching ways to justify their choice. That is, denying the necessity, the safety, and the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines. Various FLICC strategies were extensively used to substantiate this view, were logical fallacies, impossible expectations and cherry-picking are the most prominent. Further, most participants appeared not to trust the official authorities, such as the government, the RIVM, or the WMO, due to inconsistencies in policy and communication, and because participants believe these authorities have other motives, such as money and power. Participants trust acquaintances or alternative media and some do not trust anyone except their own judgement. Participants determine who can be trusted through: confirmation, intuition, and judging character. This study has provided extensive insight into how unvaccinated people justify their choice and who they trust for information about COVID-19 vaccinations.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Gordijn, E.H. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Applied Social Psychology (ASP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 11 Jul 2022 08:44 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Jul 2022 08:44 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/847 |
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