Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2025

Facilitating the Analysis of Immunological Data with Visual Analytic Techniques
Published on: January 2, 2011
Using infographics to reduce the negative effects of jargon on intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19
Elizabeth E Riggs1, Hillary C Shulman1, Rachel Lopez1
1Ohio State University, USA.
Abstract:
Guided by feelings-as-information theory, this experiment (N = 643), based in the United States, tested whether the use of jargon and infographics within messages designed to explain the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines affected behavioral intentions to vaccinate. The results revealed that the presence of jargon was associated with a difficult processing experience, message resistance, decreased perceptions of message credibility, and reduced intentions to get the COVID-19 vaccine. That said, when an infographic was integrated into the jargon message, these negative relationships went away and the presence of jargon no longer indirectly impacted intention to vaccinate. This experiment demonstrates that in contexts where jargon use exists, the use of an infographic can counteract some of the negative effects of a difficult processing experience.
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