Medical Expert Endorsement Fails to Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy in U.K. Residents

Abstract

In this report we outline the null findings of a pre-registered experiment on vaccine hesitancy in the United Kingdom. The experiment targeted vaccine misconceptions common among participants by presenting a correction to such claims endorsed by a group of medical experts. The experiment had the aim to increase vaccination intention and actual uptake during the 2021 COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Our results revealed that, contrary to a similar study conducted with Italian residents, our intervention was unsuccessful in changing participants’ attitudes and behaviour towards COVID-19 vaccines. The report concludes with a discussion of the potential reasons for these null findings.