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The Association Between Vaccination Status Identification and Societal Polarization

Author

Listed:
  • Luca Henkel

    (Department of Economics, University of Bonn, Germany)

  • Philipp Sprengholz

    (Media and Communication Science, University of Erfurt, Germany; Health Communication, Implementation Science, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany)

  • Lars Korn

    (Media and Communication Science, University of Erfurt, Germany; Health Communication, Implementation Science, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; Center for Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences, University of Erfurt, Germany)

  • Cornelia Betsch

    (Media and Communication Science, University of Erfurt, Germany; Health Communication, Implementation Science, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; Center for Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences, University of Erfurt, Germany)

  • Robert Böhm

    (Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Center for Social Data Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Abstract

Public discord between those vaccinated and those unvaccinated for COVID-19 has intensified globally. Theories of intergroup relations propose that identifying with one’s social group plays a key role in the perceptions and behaviors that fuel intergroup conflict. We test whether identification with one’s vaccination status is associated with current societal polarization. The study draws on panel data from samples of vaccinated (n = 3,267) and unvaccinated (n = 2,038) respondents in Germany and Austria that were collected in December 2021, February, March, and July 2022. The findings confirm that vaccination status identification (VSI) explains substantial variance in a range of polarizing attitudes and behaviors. VSI was also related to higher psychological reactance toward mandatory vaccination policies among the unvaccinated. Higher levels of VSI reduced the gap between intended and actual counter-behaviors over time by the unvaccinated. VSI appears to be an important measure for predicting behavioral responses to vaccination policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca Henkel & Philipp Sprengholz & Lars Korn & Cornelia Betsch & Robert Böhm, 2022. "The Association Between Vaccination Status Identification and Societal Polarization," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 197, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:ajk:ajkdps:197
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Böhm, Robert & Rusch, Hannes & Baron, Jonathan, 2020. "The psychology of intergroup conflict: A review of theories and measures," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 947-962.
    2. Shanto Iyengar & Sean J. Westwood, 2015. "Fear and Loathing Across Party Lines: New Evidence on Group Polarization," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 59(3), pages 690-707, July.
    3. Smriti Mallapaty, 2022. "Researchers fear growing COVID vaccine hesitancy in developing nations," Nature, Nature, vol. 601(7892), pages 174-175, January.
    4. Katrin Schmelz & Samuel Bowles, 2022. "Opposition to voluntary and mandated COVID-19 vaccination as a dynamic process: Evidence and policy implications of changing beliefs," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 119(13), pages 2118721119-, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hansl, Nora & Paul, Katharina T., 2025. "“That’s a tricky question”: perceptions of mandatory vaccination among parents and paediatricians in Austria," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    2. Kaba, Mustafa & Koyuncu, Murat & Schneider, Sebastian O. & Sutter, Matthias, 2024. "Social norms, political polarization, and vaccination attitudes: Evidence from a survey experiment in Turkey," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    3. Wood, Reed M. & Juanchich, Marie & Ramirez, Mark & Zhang, Shenghao, 2023. "Promoting COVID-19 vaccine confidence through public responses to misinformation: The joint influence of message source and message content," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    4. Seungwoo Han, 2024. "Trust and needles: how perceptions of inequality shape vaccination in South Korea," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Brandyn F. Churchill & Laura E. Henkhaus & Emily C. Lawler, 2025. "Effect of vaccine recommendations on consumer and firm behavior," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(1), pages 125-150, January.
    6. Maximilian Filsinger & Markus Freitag, 2025. "Divided by vaccination? Evaluating the intergroup conflict between pro- and anti-vaccination groups in the post-pandemic era," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.

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    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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