A research group recently sought to identify why skepticism about vaccines is perpetuated. They found strong evidence of the Dunning-Kruger effects which addresses the inability to accurately appraise one’s own knowledge. Their results point to the uphill battle the scientific community faces as it confronts growing anti-vax sentiment from the public and politicians alike.
The growing “anti-vax” movement here and abroad has seen parents refuse to give their children mandatory school vaccinations, growing numbers of celebrities questioning vaccine safety, and even pet owners refusing to vaccinate their dogs – forcing the British Veterinary Association to issue a statement in April that dogs cannot develop autism.
Source: The Conversation, July 12, 2018. Link.
Finding new ways to present scientific consensus on vaccines to an audience skeptical of medical experts should be a priority. Our research suggests that one interesting area for future research could be to examine whether pro-vaccine information from non-expert sources like celebrities could persuade those with anti-vaccine policy attitudes to change their minds.
INSIGHTS: It is apparent from this study that animal health pros must continue to educate animal owners on the importance of vaccines as a preventative for all animals, including humans. It may take some open-ended questioning to identify those who are ignorant of their own ignorance and then engage them in learning how vaccines are safe and effective.