Big five personality and COVID-19 beliefs, behaviors, and vaccine intentions: The mediating role of political ideology

Because personal health decisions can impact the health of the broader community, researchers have increasingly sought to understand the psychological bases for different responses to public health communications and prescriptions. We contribute to this literature in two ways. First, we analyze the relationship between Big Five personality traits and three critical beliefs and behaviors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are vaccine hesitancy, engagement in risky (vs. self-protective) pandemic social behaviors, and conspiratorial beliefs surrounding the origins, consequences, and public health response to COVID-19. Second, we draw on theory from political psychology to model the joint effects of personality and ideology. Our analysis of two American samples (MTurk = 510; Representative = 441) indicated that political liberalism mediated the relationship between Openness and COVID-related attitudes and behaviors.

Automated summary

Because personal health decisions can have a broader impact, researchers examined the psychological basis for various responses to public health communications and guidelines. They focused on the relationship between Big Five personality traits and vaccine hesitancy, risky pandemic behaviors, and conspiratorial beliefs about COVID-19. Political liberalism was found to mediate the relationship between Openness personality trait and COVID-related attitudes and behaviors in American samples.