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Development of a Codebook of Online Anti-Vaccination Rhetoric to Manage COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation

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  • Brian Hughes

    (Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA
    Program of Justice, Law, and Criminology, School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA)

  • Cynthia Miller-Idriss

    (Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA
    Program of Justice, Law, and Criminology, School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA)

  • Rachael Piltch-Loeb

    (Emergency Preparedness Research Evaluation & Practice (EPREP) Program, Division of Policy Translation & Leadership Development, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

  • Beth Goldberg

    (Jigsaw, Google LLC, New York, NY 10011, USA)

  • Kesa White

    (Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA)

  • Meili Criezis

    (Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA)

  • Elena Savoia

    (Emergency Preparedness Research Evaluation & Practice (EPREP) Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

Abstract

Vaccine hesitancy (delay in obtaining a vaccine, despite availability) represents a significant hurdle to managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy is in part related to the prevalence of anti-vaccine misinformation and disinformation, which are spread through social media and user-generated content platforms. This study uses qualitative coding methodology to identify salient narratives and rhetorical styles common to anti-vaccine and COVID-denialist media. It organizes these narratives and rhetorics according to theme, imagined antagonist, and frequency. Most frequent were narratives centered on “corrupt elites” and rhetorics appealing to the vulnerability of children. The identification of these narratives and rhetorics may assist in developing effective public health messaging campaigns, since narrative and emotion have demonstrated persuasive effectiveness in other public health communication settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Hughes & Cynthia Miller-Idriss & Rachael Piltch-Loeb & Beth Goldberg & Kesa White & Meili Criezis & Elena Savoia, 2021. "Development of a Codebook of Online Anti-Vaccination Rhetoric to Manage COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:14:p:7556-:d:595049
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Elena Savoia & Maxwell Su & Rachael Piltch-Loeb & Evelyn Masterson & Marcia A. Testa, 2021. "COVID-19 Vaccine Early Skepticism, Misinformation and Informational Needs among Essential Workers in the USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Brian Hughes & Kesa White & Jennifer West & Meili Criezis & Cindy Zhou & Sarah Bartholomew, 2021. "Cultural Variance in Reception and Interpretation of Social Media COVID-19 Disinformation in French-Speaking Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-28, November.
    3. Principe, Francesco & Weber, Guglielmo, 2023. "Online health information seeking and Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy: Evidence from 50+ Europeans," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    4. Ali Unlu & Sophie Truong & Nitin Sawhney & Jonas Sivelä & Tuukka Tammi, 2024. "Long-term assessment of social amplification of risk during COVID-19: challenges to public health agencies amid misinformation and vaccine stance," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 809-836, April.
    5. Marilena Paraskeva, 2022. "The Covid-19 Anti-vaccination Movement in Cyprus: an investigation of its discourses (AMID)," GreeSE – Hellenic Observatory Papers on Greece and Southeast Europe 179, Hellenic Observatory, LSE.

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