Trust in science, knowledge and risk perception as predictors of COVID-19 vaccination : application of an extended Theory of Planned Behavior model in Hungary

Abstract

Although a number of studies have shown that some form of trust plays an important role in vaccination decisions, few studies have explicitly examined trust in science. This study aims to explore the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, with special regard to trust in science. For our empirical analysis, we focus on Hungary, a case characterized by high infection and mortality rates during the pandemic, as well as relatively low levels of trust in science. The study’s contribution to the literature is that, first, in contrast to most previous studies, it builds on an established theoretical framework, and second, within this framework, it analyses the impact of trust in science in relation to knowledge and perceived risk of COVID-19. We use the Theory of Planned Behavior (TBP) to better understand predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. The key components of TBP (i.e. attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) are extended with further predictors of attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination: trust in science, knowledge about COVID-19, and perceived risk of COVID-19. To our knowledge, ours is the first study using TPB to examine the impact of these three factors on attitudes towards vaccination in a single model.