(PS6-A10) Perceived Risk of COVID-19 as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Disgust Sensitivity and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

The COVID pandemic has elicited large-scale vaccination programs to slow virus transmission and prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death (CDC, 2021). Despite widespread provision of COVID vaccines and strong evidence of their efficacy (Anand & Stahel, 2021), vaccine hesitancy remains prevalent (Barello et al., 2021; Freeman et al., 2020). A potential factor in predicting vaccine hesitancy is trait propensity to experience disgust. Disgust is central to the behavioral immune system (BIS), which promotes detection of potentially infectious pathogens via aversive affective, behavioral, and cognitive mechanisms (Schaller & Park, 2011). Two opposing hypotheses exist for the relationship between disgust sensitivity and vaccine hesitancy. Those with higher disgust sensitivity may have more positive vaccine attitudes since vaccines prevent infection; alternatively, those with higher disgust sensitivity may have more negative vaccine attitudes since vaccines themselves may be perceived as contaminants (Clay, 2017). 

Pre-COVID literature generally associates higher disgust sensitivity with more negative vaccine attitudes, lower vaccine acceptance, and greater vaccine skepticism (Clay, 2017; Luz et al., 2019). However, COVID-specific research provides mixed support for both contrasting hypotheses. Higher disgust sensitivity has been correlated with more positive vaccine attitudes and higher vaccination intentions (Diaz & Cova, 2021; Shook et al. 2020), as well as with increased vaccine hesitancy and higher anti-vaccination attitudes (Reuben et al., 2020; Kempthorne & Terrizzi, 2021). The BIS is believed to be responsive to an individual’s susceptibility to disease; thus, individual differences in perceived risk of COVID may explain the mixed results. Perceived risk of COVID and perceived severity of infection have been correlated with higher vaccination intentions and acceptance of COVID vaccines (Du et al., 2021; Karlsson et al., 2021). Even for more vaccine-hesitant individuals, higher risk perception increased willingness to accept COVID vaccines (Caserotti et al., 2020). 

This study examined perceived risk of COVID as a moderator of the relationship between disgust sensitivity and COVID vaccine hesitancy in the general population. We recruited a nationally representative sample of adults (N = 205) as part of a longitudinal study, with data collected online throughout the COVID pandemic. At baseline, disgust sensitivity was measured using the Disgust Emotion Scale (DES; Walls & Kleinknecht, 1996). At 8-month follow-up, COVID vaccine hesitancy was measured using the 5C Scale (adapted to be COVID-specific; Betsch et al., 2018). Perceived risk of COVID was measured using the Perceived Risk of COVID Scale (adapted from the Perceived Risk of HIV Scale; Napper et al., 2012). Data analyses will be conducted during Spring 2022. We will use correlation and regression methods to examine the relationship between DES scores and COVID vaccine hesitancy, and moderation analyses to explore the role of perceived risk of COVID in this relationship. We expect higher disgust sensitivity to be significantly associated with lower COVID vaccine hesitancy, particularly for those with higher perceived risk of contracting COVID.