Republican Pushback on Patriotism-Linked COVID-19 Vaccine Messages: A Note on Moral Reframing

Moral reframing theory suggests that messages that connect with fundamental values may soften resistance, especially when from a trusted source. We assess these expectations in opinion dynamics around US Republicans’ views on COVID-19 vaccines. Data are from a preregistered experiment in a national survey of Republicans (n=3,058). Respondents were randomly assigned to one of three treatments or a control (no message) condition. Treated individuals received a message that connected vaccination to patriotism, a core conservative value, and this was attributed to a public health official (treatment 1), Republican voter (2), or Democratic voter (3). With the exception of those who were vaccinated and boosted, the message either had no effect or, more often, produced a backlash that led Republicans to express less favorable dispositions toward vaccination; backlash was stronger for messages sourced to a Democrat or public health official. Our conclusion discusses implications for moral reframing research and public health messaging.