The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an upswing in conspiracy theory beliefs, which creates challenges for effectively countering the pandemic, with higher rates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy found among conspiracy theorists. Research suggests health risk perceptions, trust in government and anomie may mediate the relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs and vaccine hesitancy. However, the mediating role of trust in government and anomie on vaccine hesitancy have not been empirically examined in the context of COVID-19, and it is not clear whether different conspiracy theories have distinct mediational pathways to vaccine hesitancy. The current study examines the extent to which perceptions of the health threat posed by COVID-19, trust in government and anomie can explain the relationship between distinct COVID-19 conspiracy theories and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Drawing on data from a national online survey of 779 Australian adults, a series of path analyses examining the influence of three distinct conspiracy theories on vaccination hesitancy revealed two key mediational pathways, which varied across conspiracy theory types. Anomie and perceptions of the health threat posed by COVID-19 were the most common mediators of this relationship. Implications for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and for conspiracy theory research are discussed.

中文翻译：

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检查阴谋论与 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫之间的关系：感知健康威胁、信任和失范的中介作用？

COVID-19 大流行导致了阴谋论信念的上升，这给有效对抗这一流行病带来了挑战，阴谋论者发现 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫率更高。研究表明，健康风险认知、对政府的信任和失范可能会调节 COVID-19 阴谋论信念与疫苗犹豫之间的关系。然而，尚未在 COVID-19 的背景下对政府信任和失范对疫苗犹豫的中介作用进行实证检验，并且尚不清楚不同的阴谋论是否对疫苗犹豫具有不同的中介途径。目前的研究考察了人们对 COVID-19 带来的健康威胁的认知程度，对政府的信任和失范可以解释不同的 COVID-19 阴谋论与 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫之间的关系。根据对 779 名澳大利亚成年人的全国在线调查数据，一系列路径分析检查了三种不同的阴谋论对疫苗接种犹豫的影响，揭示了两种关键的中介途径，这些途径因阴谋论类型而异。失范和对 COVID-19 造成的健康威胁的看法是这种关系最常见的中介因素。讨论了对 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫和阴谋论研究的影响。一系列路径分析检查了三种不同的阴谋论对疫苗接种犹豫的影响，揭示了两条关键的中介途径，这些途径因阴谋论类型而异。失范和对 COVID-19 造成的健康威胁的看法是这种关系最常见的中介因素。讨论了对 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫和阴谋论研究的影响。一系列路径分析检查了三种不同的阴谋论对疫苗接种犹豫的影响，揭示了两条关键的中介途径，这些途径因阴谋论类型而异。失范和对 COVID-19 造成的健康威胁的看法是这种关系最常见的中介因素。讨论了对 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫和阴谋论研究的影响。