Germany under the Tinfoil Hat? The associations of the big five personality traits and coronavirus conspiracy beliefs with the intention to get vaccinated

Abstract

Background

The governments of democracies worldwide are relying on the active cooperation of their populations to combat COVID-19. Simultaneously, beliefs in conspiracy theories surrounding the pandemic have flourished. The present article examines the effects of the big five personality traits and conspiracy beliefs on the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Germany.

Methods

This correlational, cross-sectional mediation analysis was conducted using data from a nationwide German household panel (N = 1390).

Results

Openness to experience (β = −.082, p = .004) and neuroticism (β = .112, p < .001) showed direct effects on conspiracy beliefs, while conspiracy beliefs had the strongest effect on vaccination intention (β = −.424, p < .001). Indirect positive effects of openness (β = .035, p = .005) and negative effects of neuroticism (β = −.047, p < .001) on the intention to get vaccinated via conspiracy beliefs were identified, with a mediation in the strict sense only for openness. No direct or total effect of the big five on vaccination intention could be found.

Conclusions

The big five personality traits are associated, although indirectly, with the intention to be vaccinated. Compared with similar studies on the effects of the big five on COVID-19-related outcomes, we found slightly higher proportions of explained variance in conspiracy beliefs and significantly higher explained variance in vaccination intention. In order to increase the willingness to be vaccinated, targeted and nationwide uniform information measures should be provided addressing feelings of security, of not being excluded, and the activation of critical reasoning.