Focus
– We should be careful about singling out certain groups and saying that they have made mistakes, says Lars-Olof Johansson.
Why many people hesitate to get vaccinated It is called “the omission bias” and means that an action that has bad consequences is perceived as more reprehensible than passive inaction that has equally bad consequences. – It may be an explanation as to why some people hesitate to get vaccinated, explains Lars-Olof Johansson, Professor of Psychology.
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GUJOURNAL MARCH 2021
We humans like to see ourselves as rational beings who make informed decisions. However, often it is our gut feeling that counts, explains Lars-Olof Johansson. – Especially when there is a high degree of uncertainty, which is the case with COVID-19, we often let our emotions govern us. The vaccine is completely new and untested and no one has an answer as to how long a person’s immunity will last. Some vaccines are 95 percent effective, others only 60 percent, some are more effective in younger people but less effective in older people. Researchers know what is good at a population level but not what is best for me as an individual. Our gut feeling tells us that an active choice can ultimately go very wrong, while passivity, not getting vaccinated,
