Messages That Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Willingness: Evidence From Online Experiments in Six Latin American Countries

138 Pages Posted: 28 Mar 2021 Last revised: 29 Jun 2021

See all articles by Pablo Argote

Pablo Argote

Columbia University - Department of Political Science

Elena Barham

Columbia University - Department of Political Science

Sarah Daly

Columbia University - Department of Political Science

Julian Gerez

Columbia University - Department of Political Science

John Marshall

Columbia University - Department of Political Science

Oscar Pocasangre

Columbia University

Date Written: June 28, 2021

Abstract

As safe and effective vaccines become widely available, attaining herd immunity and limiting the spread of COVID-19 will depend on individuals choosing to vaccinate and doing so quickly enough to outpace mutations. Using online surveys conducted in January 2021 across six Latin American countries - where mass vaccination programs have only recently begun and are expected to continue into 2022 - we experimentally assess messages designed to counteract informational deficiencies and collective action problems that may drive hesitancy. We first find that basic vaccine information persuades around 8% of hesitant individuals to become willing to vaccinate, reduces the time individuals intend to wait before vaccinating once a vaccine is available to them by 0.4 months, and increases willingness to encourage others to vaccinate. Rather than facilitating free riding, learning, or social conformity, providing information about others’ behavior increases vaccine willingness and willingness to encourage others to vaccinate among respondents induced to expect that herd immunity will be achieved in their country. Finally, priming the social approval benefits of vaccinating also increase each dimension of vaccine acceptance, and is more effective than messages highlighting economic or altruistic benefits of vaccination. These results suggest that providing information and shaping social expectations and incentives could both be important in encouraging vaccine uptake.

Keywords: COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy, Latin America, information, collective action, social approval

Suggested Citation

Argote, Pablo and Barham, Elena and Daly, Sarah and Gerez, Julian and Marshall, John and Pocasangre, Oscar, Messages That Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Willingness: Evidence From Online Experiments in Six Latin American Countries (June 28, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3812023 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3812023

Pablo Argote

Columbia University - Department of Political Science ( email )

7th Floor, International Affairs Bldg.
420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
United States

Elena Barham

Columbia University - Department of Political Science ( email )

3022 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
United States

Sarah Daly

Columbia University - Department of Political Science ( email )

7th Floor, International Affairs Bldg.
420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
United States

Julian Gerez

Columbia University - Department of Political Science ( email )

7th Floor, International Affairs Bldg.
420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
United States

John Marshall (Contact Author)

Columbia University - Department of Political Science ( email )

7th Floor, International Affairs Bldg.
420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
United States

Oscar Pocasangre

Columbia University ( email )

New York, NY
United States

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