Why or How? the impact of Construal-Level Theory on vaccine message receptivity

Abstract

We propose that Construal Level Theory (CLT) can be applied to incrementally improve vaccine message receptivity because it impacts a variety of health decisions and complements the constructs of the Health Belief Model. Across three studies, we explore CLT related specifically to the COVID-19 vaccine. First, we analyze Twitter sentiment and find evidence that the vaccine was a high-level construal. Then, we use prospective hindsight to show that higher-level construal dominates the explanations people provide for if they were to get vaccinated in the future. Finally leveraging construal level message congruence, we find a higher-level message is more effective than a lower-level one in increasing willingness to get vaccinated. Taken together, these studies show that a virus vaccine was perceived as a higher-level construal and suggests that future messaging should include both the higher-level ‘Why’ as well as the lower-level ‘How’ to get vaccinated.