Anti Vaxxer Theory

Although generally regarded as one of the greatest advancements in medical history, vaccines today find themselves at the middle of a passionate debate. It has become standard for infants and children to receive vaccines intermittently throughout their adolescent lives to prevent the spread of certain diseases such as polio, chickenpox, and the flu. Despite these benefits, though, some parents have become suspicious, claiming that vaccines caused their children to “regress” and become autistic. Despite no scientific evidence and the exposure of the original research of this phenomenon as false and biased, these so-called “anti-vaxxers” hold firm to their beliefs. The case of the anti-vaxxer is well-explained by the theory of cognitive dissonance, a theory which seeks to explain why people refuse to give up on irrational beliefs. As Frontline episode “The Vaccine War” shows, the anti-vaxxer phenomenon is becoming a prevalent social issue due to the rift that it can cause between individuals. The fact that anti-vaxxers so staunchly hold onto …show more content…
The theory behind it began with social psychologist Leon Festinger in 1955 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Festinger sought to explain why people, in general, hold onto false beliefs even when proven incorrect. He hypothesized that it is painful for people to be introduced to logical contradictions, although Elliot Aronson later argues that it is in fact psychological contradictions that cause the issue. This could be due to a natural bias, causing people to prefer to believe what they think they already know. Aronson further argues that the magnitude of the dissonance experienced is affected by self-concept, psychological investment, and rationale, while Joel Cooper adds that sense of responsibility is also an important factor (West and Turner