Dangling Carrots and Twisting Arms: Incentivizing COVID-19 Vaccination for Community Benefit

Abstract

Using the behavioral economics framework, the current study assessed the effectiveness of compliance gaining techniques and social normative influences to reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination behavior among college students. A total of 1,283 students responded to a cross-sectional survey assessing the influence of compliance gaining techniques and normative pressures upon vaccine attitudes and behavior. Findings suggest that being female, a person of color, and politically liberal were associated with increased likelihood of vaccination behavior. Likelihood of getting vaccinated was influenced by previous influenza vaccine behavior and parents’ vaccination status, suggesting the importance of parental social norms. Compliance gaining techniques may have strengthened attitudes for unvaccinated students but were less successful at motivating actual vaccine behavior.