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Ideological diversity of media consumption predicts COVID-19 vaccination

Marrissa D. Grant, David M. Markowitz, David K. Sherman, Alexandra Flores, Stephan Dickert, Kimin Eom, Gabriela Jiga-Boy Orcid Logo, Tehila Kogut, Marcus Mayorga, David Oonk, Eric J. Pedersen, Beatriz Pereira, Enrico Rubaltelli, Paul Slovic, Daniel Västfjäll, Leaf Van Boven

Scientific Reports, Volume: 14, Start page: 28948

Swansea University Author: Gabriela Jiga-Boy Orcid Logo

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Abstract

This study examines the relationship between respondents’ vaccine hesitancy, reported media consumption patterns, ideological leanings, and trust in science. A large-scale survey conducted in the US in 2022 (N = 1,646) assessed self-reported COVID-19 vaccination, trust in science, and reported media...

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Published in: Scientific Reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
Published: Springer Nature 2024
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68470
Abstract: This study examines the relationship between respondents’ vaccine hesitancy, reported media consumption patterns, ideological leanings, and trust in science. A large-scale survey conducted in the US in 2022 (N = 1,646) assessed self-reported COVID-19 vaccination, trust in science, and reported media consumption. Findings show that, regardless of personal ideology, individuals who consumed less conservative media and had a more ideologically diverse media diet were more likely to be fully vaccinated and boosted. Additionally, consuming more conservative media was negatively associated with trust in science, but this relationship was weaker among those with a more ideologically diverse media diet. By incorporating data from an earlier wave of the survey in the summer of 2020, before COVID-19 vaccines were available, we found that a less conservative and more ideologically diverse media diet in 2022 predicted vaccination behavior in 2022, controlling for prior vaccine intentions and media consumption in 2020. A similar survey conducted in the UK in the summer of 2020 paralleled patterns in the US regarding vaccine intentions and media consumption. These results suggest that an ideologically diverse media diet is associated with reduced vaccine hesitancy. Public health initiatives might benefit from encouraging ideologically diverse media consumption.
Keywords: COVID-19, Vaccine hesitancy, Trust in science, News media, Media diets
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Funders: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation grants SES: 2029183 to LVB. Publication of this article was funded by the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries Open Access Fund.
Start Page: 28948