Accuracy-sensitisation promotes the sharing of pro- (but not anti-) vaccine information

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of final sample.

Variable	n	% of sample
Age
18–29	114	53.5
30–39	50	23.5
40–49	24	11.3
50–59	16	7.5
60–69	7	3.3
70+	2	0.9
Gender
Male	80	37.6
Female	114	53.5
Non-binary/third gender	16	7.5
Prefer not to say	3	1.4
Highest educational level
Year 10 or less	1	0.5
Year 12 or equivalent	42	19.7
Apprenticeship	6	2.8
Diploma	19	8.9
Bachelor’s degree	85	39.9
Postgraduate degree	49	23
Other	11	5.2
Employment status
Employed full-time	103	48.8
Employed part-time	40	18.8
Unemployed	52	24.4
Retired	7	3.3
Primary carer for children/other	7	3.3
No response provided	4	1.9
Social media platform
Facebook	133	62.4
Instagram	117	54.9
WhatsApp	82	38.5
Twitter	95	44.6
YouTube	140	65.7
TikTok	35	16.4
Snapchat	73	34.3
Have you had COVID-19?
Yes	21	9.9
No	160	75.1
Unsure	32	15

Table 2. Descriptive statistics for study variables.

Variable	M (SD)	Min	Max	Skew	Kurtosis	Chronbach’s α
Decision-making style
(i) Vigilance	7.71 (2.04)	6.0	17.0	1.43	2.32	0.79
(ii) Decisional self-esteem	3.27 (2.44)	0	11.0	0.69	–0.12	0.77
(ii) Hypervigilance	10.49 2.57)	5.0	15.0	–0.26	–0.77	0.76
(iii) Buck-passing	13.16 (3.35)	6.0	18.0	–0.55	–0.34	0.88
(iv) Procrastination	10.72 (2.71)	5.0	15.0	–0.37	–0.84	0.83
COVID-19 Anxiety	5.67 (1.86)	5.0	17.0	4.29	20.30	0.92
How many people would do you a favour?	9.19 (12.16)	0	100	5.00	32.71
% of Anti-vaccine friends	16.64 (17.51)	0	95	1.62	2.75
% of Pro-vaccine friends	80.82 (18.55)	20	100	–1.13	1.16
Political orientation	32.90 (24.83)	0	100	0.65	–0.10

Table 3. Correlations for variables included in analyses.

		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
1.	Political orientation
2.	Size of social network	0.02
3.	% of pro-vaccine friends	–0.25**	–0.12
4.	% of anti-vaccine friends	0.28**	0.07	–0.95**
5.	Procrastination	0.04	0.17*	–0.16	0.20**
6.	Vigilance	–0.06	–0.11	–0.05	–0.05	–0.04
7.	Hypervigilance	0.07	0.05	–0.12	0.12	0.67**	0.10
8.	Buck-passing	0.06	0.18*	–0.15	0.23**	0.74**	–0.09	0.66**
9.	Decisional self-esteem	–0.08	–0.27**	0.07	–0.16*	–0.66**	0.14*	–0.66**	–0.74**
10.	COVID-19 Anxiety	0.05	0.09	–0.17*	0.04	–0.05	0.03	0.16*	–0.01	0.10
11.	Likelihood of sharing pro-vaccine statements	–0.25**	0.08	0.29**	–0.27**	0.04	0.02	–0.04	–0.02	–0.06	0.08
12.	Likelihood of sharing anti-vaccine statements	0.43**	0.24*	–0.36**	0.39**	0.00	0.09	0.01	0.06	–0.09	0.09	–0.04
13.	Timing	0.17*	0.02	–0.15	0.24**	0.17*	0.02	0.10	0.09	–0.14	–0.02	0.13	0.13
14.	Gender	–0.22*	0.00	0.03	–0.05	–0.02	0.06	–0.11	–0.10	0.05	0.04	0.08	–0.09	–0.04

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.

Table 4. Summary of significant MANOVA results (and those approaching significance).

Dependent variable	df (df error)	Group	Mean(SE)	F	p	Partial η^2
Hypervigilance	1,194	Pro-vaccine	9.12(2.50)	12.05	0.001	0.06
			Both	10.77(2.53)
Buck-passing	1,194	Pro-vaccine	11.71(3.36)	8.95	0.003	0.04
			Both	13.54(3.23)
COVID-19 anxiety	1,194	Pro-vaccine	6.71(3.70)	11.98	0.001	0.06
			Both	5.45(1.29)
% of pro-vaccine friends	1,194	Pro-vaccine	88.24(3.22)	6.95	0.009	0.04
			Both	79.49(1.48)
% of anti-vaccine friends	1,194	Pro-vaccine	9.41(2.98)	7.45	0.007	0.04
			Both	18.37(1.37)
Procrastination	1,194	Pro-vaccine	9.94(2.76)	3.76	0.05	0.02
			Both	10.91(2.64)
Decisional self-esteem	1,194	Pro-vaccine	4.00(2.47)	3.83	0.05	0.02
			Both	3.14(2.31)

Table 5. Standardised regression coefficient (β), t-value of b and significance values for predictors of likelihood of anti-vaccine statement sharing.

	β	t	p
Political orientation	0.22	2.16	0.033
Size of social network	0.25	2.55	0.012
% of anti-vaccine friends	0.29	2.84	0.006

Table 6. Standardised regression coefficient (β), t-value of b, and significance values for predictors of likelihood of pro-vaccine statement sharing.

	β	t	p
Political orientation	–0.25	−2.62	0.010
% of pro-vaccine friends	0.25	2.60	0.011
Procrastination	0.32	1.97	0.050
Group (accuracy/control)	–0.18	−1.20	0.049