Post-truth epistemic beliefs rooted in the Dark Factor of Personality are associated with higher COVID-19 vaccination refusal

A substantial number of people refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which prompts the question as to why. We focus on the role of individual worldviews about the nature and generation of knowledge (epistemic beliefs). We propose a model that includes epistemic beliefs, their relationship to the Dark Factor of Personality (D), and their mutual effect on the probability of having been vaccinated against COVID-19. Based on a US nationally representative sample (N = 1268), we show that stronger endorsement of post-truth epistemic beliefs was associated with a lower probability of having been vaccinated against COVID-19. D was also linked to a lower probability of having been vaccinated against COVID-19, which can be explained by post-truth epistemic beliefs. Our results indicate that the more individuals deliberately refrain from adhering to the better argument, the less likely they are vaccinated. More generally, post-truth epistemic beliefs pose a challenge for rational communication.

Automated summary

A substantial number of people refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 due to their endorsement of post-truth epistemic beliefs and the influence of their personality traits. Based on a representative sample from the US, the study finds that those who strongly support post-truth epistemic beliefs and possess dark personality traits are less likely to have been vaccinated against COVID-19. These findings highlight the challenges posed by post-truth epistemic beliefs in promoting rational communication and vaccine uptake.