Reactance revisited: Consequences of mandatory and scarce vaccination in the case of COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: Psychological reactance theory assumes that the restriction of valued behaviors elicits anger and negative cognitions, motivating actions to regain the limited freedom. Two studies investigated the effects of two possible restrictions affecting COVID-19 vaccination: the limitation of non-vaccination by mandates and the limitation of vaccination by scarce vaccine supply. In the first study, we compared reactance about mandatory and scarce vaccination scenarios and the moderating effect of vaccination intentions, employing a German quota-representative sample (N = 973). In the preregistered second study, we replicated effects with an American sample (N = 1394) and investigated the consequences of reactance on various behavioral intentions. Results revealed that reactance was stronger when a

SUBMITTER: Sprengholz P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8239828 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature