What is the effect of providing information about the science behind vaccination? A population-based survey experiment on support for the MMR vaccine

Abstract This study examines the effects of including information about the scientific research behind vaccination in information provision about the MMR vaccine on societal acceptance and perceived legitimacy of the vaccine. We also test whether these effects are shaped by nature-oriented or science-oriented worldviews. Employing a pre-registered survey experiment conducted among members of a high-quality Dutch panel established using official population register data (n = 1,722), we found that receiving the informational stimulus did not positively affect support for the MMR vaccine. Moreover, providing information explaining the scientific research behind vaccination had a negative effect on support for the MMR vaccine among those with a less science-oriented worldview.