Toward controlling of a pandemic: How self-control ability influences willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine

What influences people's vaccine attitudes and intentions in the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic? Extending beyond health factors, the present research examines whether non-health-specific factors—such as one's self-control ability—influence individual attitudes toward vaccination. Drawing on the social psychology literature, we propose that self-control, which is often associated with adherence to social norms and with engagement in socially desirable behaviors, can lead to more favorable attitudes toward vaccines. Study 1 provided correlational evidence for our theoretical perspective that students scoring high on trait self-control expressed less vaccine hesitancy than students scoring low on self-control. Employing a more representative population, Study 2 examined the relationship with behaviors. It was found that non-student adults with higher self-control strength levels were more likely to accept vaccine appointments opportunities than those with lower self-control strength levels. Using an experimental design, Study 3 found that participants exerting a high level of effort for attentional self-control in the incongruent Stroop task condition showed lower COVID-19 vaccine acceptance than participants in the congruent condition. In sum, our research provides the first experimental evidence that high self-control can have a reliable impact on individual perceptions of vaccination.