Moral Foundations Predict COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Evidence from a National Survey of Black Americans

ABSTRACT

In this study we examine the role of moral values in predicting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black Americans. Guided by moral foundations theory, we assess the associations between six moral foundations (care, fairness, loyalty, authority, purity, liberty) and attitudes and intentions toward COVID-19 vaccination. Results of a national survey of Black Americans (N = 1,497) indicate that the care and loyalty moral foundations consistently predicted less vaccine hesitancy with overall more favorable attitudes and intentions toward COVID-19 vaccination, whereas the purity and liberty moral foundations were consistently associated with greater vaccine hesitancy. Relationships between the foundations and vaccine hesitancy were mediated by perceived vaccine effectiveness and safety. Implications of the findings for COVID-19 vaccine communication are discussed.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by an MPower grant jointly awarded by the University of Maryland-College Park and the University of Maryland-Baltimore.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ In the current study, we consider Black Americans to include all U.S. residents who self-identify as Black or African American. When citing other studies, we retain the same terminology as used by the authors of those studies.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the MPower grant jointly awarded by the University of Maryland-College Park and the University of Maryland-Baltimore.;