Only 42 percent of adults in the U.S. get their flu shots . A key intellect for this low telephone number is the misconception that you’re able to catch the flu from the vaccine . But , arecent studyfound that , when vaccinum - fear affected role get a line the real facts from their doctors , they were really more loath to get their influenza shots .
The research , published in the current issue of the journalVaccine , was conduct by two academics — Dartmouth ’s Brendan Nyhan and the University of Exeter ’s Jason Reifler — who have spent year document the “ backfire outcome . ” When our belief scheme are challenge , some of us run to double - down on our survey to the point where contrary facts actually reward our position . For representative , ina former study , when Nyhan and Reifler provided participants with factual fudge factor of false statements made by George W. Bush about the war in Iraq and revenue enhancement cuts , unswerving conservatives were only more inclined to believe that what the president had say was true .
And now , it appear , we see a similar phenomenon among citizenry who are passing skeptical about vaccines . These patient role , when given the fact about the flu vaccinum , base on language draught by the CDC , were less probable to believe the inoculation would give them the grippe — but they also were less potential to get their shots .
So , why would hoi polloi make that pick even after they felt reassured about the vaccine ’s side effects ? Nyhantellsthe Washington Post that misperceptions about vaccines “ are more a consequence of hoi polloi ’s mixed or minus posture towards vaccinum , rather than the cause . ” As a outcome , he explain , “ when we challenge one misperception , mass may simply bring to mind other misconceptions or concerns that they have , and remind themselves of their more oecumenical concern about vaccines in the first place . ”
[ H / T : Wonkblog ]
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