Abstract

This research analyzes the flow of information and communication about vaccines and anti-vaccines through the monitoring of issuers, groups, news sites and messages in RRSS. We also investigate its effects on attention, emotion and engagement analyzed with Eye Tracking, GSR and Facial Expression respectively. Results: the flow of communication is unstable, in press and sites and informative and neutral tendency, often with non-professional sources. On RRSS, anti-vaccine Facebook messages and groups are identified and an exploratory mapping of influencers is presented. Analysis of the temporal evolution (years 2015 to 2018) of communicative flows showed a positive evolutions: antivaccine tendencies decrease. Emotional responses and engagement do not show differences between antivaccines and vaccines: this important data is interpreted in the terms of processing by heuristics. Gender differences appeared in the pattern of exploration of the information and the emotion provoked (GSR and Expression).

Abstract

The antivax movement is now a constant phenomenon with increasing social implications. This study explores how the antivax movement is articulated in Romania on the basis of qualitative analysis applied to interviews. Our pilot study focuses on the opinions of 100 persons who oppose vaccination interviewed between 2017 and 2020. We conducted both face-to-face and online semistructured interviews to trace the factors determining attitudes against vaccination. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first such extended study to target individuals rather than groups or media discourse. We strive to provide a multifaceted view on how the antivax phenomenon is taking shape. Responses varied in style and length, so we needed to systematize the narratives. We filtered the answers using the interpretive net described by Entman (1993), thereby grouping the main narratives into four sections. We then reconstructed the implicit frames used by individuals in interpreting their position. We consider content quality analysis to be a relevant method to reveal the facets and depth of the antivax phenomenon, thereby enabling more complex explanations. We compare the results of this study with rationales stemming from similar investigations conducted around the world and then highlight opinions specific to the Romanian public.