Irrational beliefs differentially predict adherence to guidelines and pseudoscientific practices during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Summary In the coronavirus “infodemic,” people are exposed to official recommendations but also to potentially dangerous pseudoscientific advice claimed to protect against COVID‐19. We examined whether irrational beliefs predict adherence to COVID‐19 guidelines as well as susceptibility to such misi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied Cognitive Psychology 2021-03, Vol.35 (2), p.486-496
Main Authors: Teovanović, Predrag, Lukić, Petar, Zupan, Zorana, Lazić, Aleksandra, Ninković, Milica, Žeželj, Iris
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adherence
Beliefs
Bias
Cognitive ability
Cognitive bias
cognitive biases
Cognitive Processes
Compliance (Psychology)
Conspiracy
conspiracy theories
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
COVID-19 vaccines
COVID‐19 health behavior
Disease Control
Guidelines
Health Behavior
Health beliefs
Immunization Programs
Intention
Intuition
Irrational beliefs
Knowledge Level
knowledge overestimation
Misconceptions
Misinformation
Pandemics
Predictor Variables
Pseudoscience
Sanitation
Susceptibility
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Summary:Summary In the coronavirus “infodemic,” people are exposed to official recommendations but also to potentially dangerous pseudoscientific advice claimed to protect against COVID‐19. We examined whether irrational beliefs predict adherence to COVID‐19 guidelines as well as susceptibility to such misinformation. Irrational beliefs were indexed by belief in COVID‐19 conspiracy theories, COVID‐19 knowledge overestimation, type I error cognitive biases, and cognitive intuition. Participants (N = 407) reported (1) how often they followed guidelines (e.g., handwashing, physical distancing), (2) how often they engaged in pseudoscientific practices (e.g., consuming garlic, colloidal silver), and (3) their intention to receive a COVID‐19 vaccine. Conspiratorial beliefs predicted all three outcomes in line with our expectations. Cognitive intuition and knowledge overestimation predicted lesser adherence to guidelines, while cognitive biases predicted greater adherence, but also greater use of pseudoscientific practices. Our results suggest an important relation between irrational beliefs and health behaviors, with conspiracy theories being the most detrimental.
ISSN:0888-4080
1099-0720
DOI:10.1002/acp.3770