Personal beliefs versus evidence-based decisions: vaccination behavior and doubts about antidepressants of students of medicine are affected by conspiracy theories
Abstract
When medical professionals are obliged to adhere to lege artis and evidence-based decision-making, they need to interpret available evidence. As a complex cognitive process, however, such interpretation may be affected by socio cognitive biases and predispositions.
For instance, the conspiracy mentality (the general readiness to believe in conspiracy theories) or biological determinism (the belief that human lives are determined biologically) affect attitudes to antidepressant medication and vaccination in the public. Little is known about the effects of these variables on the decision-making of clinicians or students of medicine.