Search

Is it possible to predict COVID-19 vaccination status prior to the existence and availability of COVID-19 vaccines? Here, we present a logistic model by regressing decisions to vaccinate in late 2021 on lagged sociodemographic, health, social, and political indicators from 2019 in a sample of New Zealand adults aged between 18 and 94 (Mage = 52.92, SD = 14.10; 62.21% women; N = 5324). We explain 31% of the variance in decision making across New Zealand. Significant predictors of being unvaccinated were being younger, more deprived, reporting less satisfaction with general practitioners, lower levels of neuroticism, greater levels of subjective health and meaning in life, higher distrust in science and in the police, lower satisfaction in the government, as well as political conservatism. Additional cross-sectional models specified using the same, and additional COVID-19-specific factors are also presented. These findings reveal that vaccination decisions are neither artefacts of context nor chance, but rather can be predicted in advance of the availability of vaccines. Keywords: COVID-19, vaccination, Aotearoa New Zealand, Introduction At the time of writing in December 2021, Aotearoa New Zealand had just transitioned to a 'traffic light' system for managing COVID-19 in which freedoms were introduced for vaccinated [...]

Comparisons to the New Zealand Health Survey indicate that the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) is a valid measure of drinking behavior among predominately middle-aged/older New Zealanders. Data from the 2014-16 NZAVS is used to identify key demographic and novel personality correlates of New Zealanders' drinking status, frequency and intensity. Men and Extraverted individuals were consistently found more likely to be a drinker, drink frequently and intensely. Those high on Honesty-Humility were less likely to be a drinker and drink intensely. Maori, Pacific and young people, and those living in highly deprived areas were infrequent but high intensity drinkers. Extraversion consistently showed strong associations with drinking behaviour suggesting that social factors are key drinking motives among middle-aged/older New Zealanders. Further research is warranted on the utility of personality-targeted interventions. Keywords: Drinking intensity, drinking frequency, personality traits, New Zealand, Introduction According to the 2018/19 New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS), 80.3% of New Zealand adults were past-year drinkers; 26.9% of which were heavy episodic drinkers (at least monthly) and 24.9% [...]

Following the March 15th Christchurch terrorist attack, members of our research team have been repeatedly asked to comment or provide summary statistics from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) on prejudice toward Muslims. As the curators of the NZAVS, we think that these findings should be in the public domain and accessible to as wide an audience as possible. In this article, we aim to provide a comprehensive summary of what we know from the NZAVS about attitudes toward Muslims and prejudice in New Zealand more generally. From 2012 onwards, the NZAVS included a feeling thermometer rating of people's level of warmth toward Muslims. Here, we summarize what we know from the NZAVS about levels of warmth toward Muslims in the New Zealand population. We describe the distribution of thermometer ratings of warmth toward Muslims annually from 2012 onward, and compare these with thermometer ratings of a range of other groups that we also track. We present a regression model documenting the extent to which a broad range of demographics and aspects of personality are associated with low levels of warmth toward Muslims, and present a parallel model assessing warmth ratings toward immigrants as a comparison. Finally, we present a series of growth curve models outlining the relative level and rate of change over time in warmth toward Muslims and other groups from 2012-2018. Results from these analyses indicate that over the 2012-2018 period, levels of warmth toward Muslims in New Zealand were comparatively low relative to warmth ratings of other groups. However, warmth toward Muslims has also been steadily but gradually increasing over time in New Zealand. Keywords: Prejudice, Muslim, Christchurch Terrorist Attack, Feeling Thermometer, Introduction The shock and horror of the March 15th 2019 terrorist attack in Christchurch will shape our nation for many years to come. With 51 Muslim men, women, and children [...]

This study used data from the 2010 New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (N = 4,441) to examine the demographic, health and personality correlates of healthy lifestyle habits among New Zealand adults. Participants reported their perceived importance of various behaviours (e.g. limiting salt, sugar intake) for leading a healthy lifestyle and regularity of engaging in them. Relative to importance ratings, considerably fewer people reported habitually engaging in positive health behaviours. Women, older, partnered individuals, those living with diabetes, high on Conscientiousness and Honesty-Humility showed increased regularity of healthy dietary behaviours. Maori and Pacific individuals, those living in highly deprived areas and with high BMI and Neuroticism showed reduced behaviour regularity. There were also important group differences in health-related perceptions (e.g. access to resources, social support to live healthy lifestyle). Keywords: Health Behaviours, Healthy Lifestyle, Personality, New Zealand, Introduction Dietary habits and lifestyle behaviours are important predictors of one's risk of various illnesses and mortality (Khaw et al., 2008; Loef & Walach, 2012). In New Zealand, lifestyle-related illnesses [...]