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The vaccinated are ignorant, uncritical or eager to be shepherded by a paternalistic state
Reactance is a well-known psychological construct which describes an individual’s tendency to defend their autonomy when they perceive that others are trying to impose their will on them.
Individuals who have high reactance may respond to any health advice as an infringement on their ability to choose an action for themselves. High reactance has been consistently associated with vaccine hesitancy.
Reactance manifests in arguments proclaiming that the decision of whether or not to vaccinate must be completely free and autonomous. Reactance tends to be associated with a high sense of personal autonomy and empowerment, and with a view of civil liberties that includes the right to act contrary to social norms and political injunctions.
This theme emphasises the need to behave contrary to expectations, reject the ‘herd’ mentality and fight the perception that one is just a ‘statistic’.
Arguments may claim that vaccines are not ‘one size fits all’. Underlying these arguments is a perception that those who get vaccinated without question are ignorant, uncritical, or otherwise deficient, and that medical/government authorities are paternalistic and censor disagreements.
Messages about vaccines can sound condescending. People may feel that they are being talked down to from above and it is natural to be irritated by condescension. It can also be worrying to think that society is no longer engaging in critical thinking.
En dialog mellan patienter och hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal är mest produktiv om man förhåller sig empatiskt och ger patienten möjlighet att bekräfta de underliggande orsakerna till attityden, samt att man uttrycker förståelse för dessa. Därför är det viktigt att förstå attitydgrunden bakom personers uppenbara åsikter. Att bekräfta en persons underliggande attitydgrund innebär inte att vi måste instämma i detaljerna i deras argument. Vi kan till exempel bekräfta att:
Messages about vaccines can sound condescending. People may feel that they are being talked down to from above and it is natural to be irritated by condescension. It can also be worrying to think that society is no longer engaging in critical thinking.
Vaccinations have the power to protect us and our families from potentially life-threatening diseases, so deciding to vaccinate can be one of the most empowering medical decisions you make for yourself.
Portraying those who are vaccinated as blindly conforming is inaccurate, as many people who get vaccinated have put a lot of thought into their decision. They may have asked their healthcare providers for advice, and found out more about vaccines and how they protect us from diseases with very little risk of serious side effects.
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