Moral Polarization and Vaccination Against COVID-19 - a Study of Attitudes Toward Unvaccinated

Olesen, Victor Krusborg

4. term

Psychology, Master

2022

2022-08-22

91

This thesis examines attitudes toward people who did not get a COVID-19 vaccine through the lens of moral psychology. It asks how vaccinated people view the unvaccinated and how moral values shape these views, as part of a broader look at moral polarization around vaccination. The study draws on Moral Foundations Theory (values such as care/harm, fairness, loyalty, authority, purity, and liberty), the idea of moral reproach via upward social comparison (feeling judged by others seen as more moral), and moral framing (presenting messages in terms of different moral values). Using this framework, the author designed a moral pluralist framing study to test whether different moral framings and political ideology relate to vaccinated participants’ attitudes toward the unvaccinated. Data were collected online from 109 respondents using a questionnaire with both rating scales and open-ended questions. The analysis combined quantitative summaries of response patterns with qualitative content analysis to examine the moral themes in the text answers. Across analyses, the harm/care foundation was the most understandable to respondents, whereas purity was the least. Respondents identifying as moderate or far right were more understanding of non-vaccination than those with other political leanings. In qualitative responses, support for vaccination was mainly linked to caring for others and preventing harm, as well as trust in authorities. Negative attitudes toward the unvaccinated were common, particularly among those identifying as moderate or far left, underscoring that non-vaccination is a morally polarizing issue. The main reason given for understanding non-vaccination related to the liberty foundation—seeing vaccination as a matter of personal choice—alongside individual concerns about the vaccine. References to skepticism about the vaccine itself or authorities’ handling of the pandemic were limited. The thesis reflects on methodological choices and limitations, relates the findings to its theoretical framework and prior literature (with which they generally align), and offers suggestions to counteract polarization about non-vaccination and in society more broadly. A central takeaway is that recognizing the values that motivate others can foster empathy and tolerance and, in turn, reduce moral polarization.

Denne afhandling undersøger holdninger til personer, der ikke blev vaccineret mod COVID-19, set gennem moralsk psykologi. Den spørger, hvordan vaccinerede ser på ikke-vaccinerede, og hvordan moralske værdier præger disse synspunkter, som led i en bredere undersøgelse af moralsk polarisering omkring vaccination. Studiet bygger på Moral Foundations Theory (værdier som omsorg/skade, retfærdighed, loyalitet, autoritet, renhed og frihed), idéen om moralsk dadel gennem opadgående social sammenligning (at føle sig bedømt af andre, der opfattes som mere moralske), samt moralsk indramning (at formulere budskaber i forskellige moralske værdier). Med dette som udgangspunkt blev der designet et moralsk pluralistisk indramningsstudie, der skulle undersøge, om forskellige moralske indramninger og politisk ideologi hænger sammen med vaccineredes holdninger til ikke-vaccinerede. Data blev indsamlet online fra 109 respondenter via et spørgeskema med både skala-vurderinger og åbne spørgsmål. Analysen kombinerede kvantitative oversigter over mønstre i svarene med kvalitativ indholdsanalyse for at belyse de moralske temaer i tekstsvarene. På tværs af analyserne var omsorg/skade den mest forståelige moralske grundværdi, mens renhed var den mindst forståelige. Respondenter, der identificerede sig som moderate eller langt til højre politisk, var mere forstående over for ikke-vaccination end personer med andre politiske ståsteder. I de kvalitative svar blev støtte til vaccination primært begrundet med at vise omsorg for andre og forebygge skade samt med tillid til myndighederne. Negative holdninger til ikke-vaccinerede var udbredte, især blandt personer, der identificerede sig som moderate eller langt til venstre, hvilket understreger, at ikke-vaccination er et moralsk polariserende emne. Den vigtigste begrundelse for at have forståelse for ikke-vaccination knyttede sig til frihedsværdien – at betragte vaccination som et personligt valg – suppleret af individuelle bekymringer om vaccinen. Henvisninger til skepsis over for selve vaccinen eller myndighedernes håndtering af pandemien var begrænsede. Afhandlingen diskuterer metodiske valg og begrænsninger, sætter resultaterne i relation til det teoretiske rammeværk og tidligere litteratur (som resultaterne overordnet stemmer med), og giver forslag til at modvirke polarisering om ikke-vaccination og i samfundet generelt. En central pointe er, at større forståelse for de værdier, der motiverer andre, kan øge empati og tolerance og dermed reducere moralsk polarisering.

[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]

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