Want to change attitudes on vaccination? Try a little empathy

Even among groups with entrenched attitudes to vaccination, GW researchers showed that an empathetic social media approach and constructive information sharing can foster change. Amid ongoing public scrutiny of major social media platforms for their handling of COVID-19 misinformation, a study conducted by researchers at George Washington University reveals an alternative approach, showcasing how social media platforms can be effectively harnessed to foster constructive information sharing and counter the destructive spread of misinformation. Led jointly by David A. Broniatowski, associate professor of engineering management and systems engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Lorien Abroms, professor of prevention and community health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the research tested a novel approach to changing anti-vaccination attitudes via social media: sharing empathetic messages on Facebook. Using private Facebook groups, researchers found that by providing empathetic messages to correct vaccine misinformation in a way that builds respect and...