Dimensions of Vaccination Attitudes in Nigeria: A Study of the Impacts of COVID-19 Vaccine Risk Perception and Acceptance

Nigeria has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and vaccination is a key strategy. However, the country faces vaccination hesitancy, poor risk perception, and low acceptance. This study aimed to assess the direct and interactive impacts of COVID-19 vaccine risk perception and acceptability on COVID-19 vaccination attitudes in the general Nigerian population. In a cross-sectional approach, participants completed a structured questionnaire including demographics, COVID-19 vaccine risk perception, acceptance, and vaccination attitude from April 2-30, 2021. The sample included 1,026 participants from different ethnicities across four regions (Southwest, South, Southeast, and North Central) in Nigeria, which were selected using the convenience sampling method. Multivariate analysis of variance results showed that the COVID-19 vaccine’s risk perception and acceptability have separate and interactive effects on overall vaccination attitudes. Interactively, individuals with high-risk perceptions and low acceptance expressed more skepticism about its benefits, were concerned about its long-term body effects, believed more in its commercialization, and preferred natural immunity. Nigerians’ apprehension about COVID-19 vaccination is impacted by their high-risk perception and low vaccine uptake

Psychometric Properties and Correlates of Precarious Manhood Beliefs in 62 Nations

Precarious manhood beliefs portray manhood, relative to womanhood, as a social status that is hard to earn, easy to lose, and proven via public action. Here, we present cross-cultural data on a brief measure of precarious manhood beliefs (the Precarious Manhood Beliefs scale [PMB]) that covaries meaningfully with other cross-culturally validated gender ideologies and with country-level indices of gender equality and human development. Using data from university samples in 62 countries across 13 world regions (N = 33,417), we demonstrate: (1) the psychometric isomorphism of the PMB (i.e., its comparability in meaning and statistical properties across the individual and country levels); (2) the PMB’s distinctness from, and associations with, ambivalent sexism and ambivalence toward men; and (3) associations of the PMB with nation-level gender equality and human development. Findings are discussed in terms of their statistical and theoretical implications for understanding widely-held beliefs about the precariousness of the male gender role

Attitudes toward premarital sex among unmarried undergratuates: investigating gender, level of study and the role of sexual orientation

The extent at which unmarried undergraduates practise premarital sex continues to attract incessant research for effective risk reduction and possible behaviour change. We examinedextent to which attitudes toward premarital sex are predicted bysexual orientation, peer connectedness and alcohol use among undergraduates ina Nigerian university. In a survey approach, 208 unmarried undergraduates were sampled using accidental method of sampling. A structured questionnaire that consisted of demographic information and scales of variables with robust psychometric properties was used for data collection. Hypotheses were tested with the use of multiple regression, independent group’s t-test and one-way ANOVA statistics. Results showed that all predictor variables jointly predicted attitudes toward premarital sex. However, only alcohol use has significant independent relationship with the criterion variable. Male unmarried undergraduates reported positive attitudes toward premarital sex than their female counterparts. Level of study influenced attitudes toward premarital sex. We conclude that of all the established associated risk factors to premarital sex, alcohol abuse should take a prominent place in risk behaviour reduction program for young population.Keywords: Premarital sex, alcohol use, sexual orientation, peer connectedness, unmarried undergraduate, Oye-Ekiti

Psychosocial factors predicting risky sexual behaviour among long distance truck drivers in Lagos, Nigeria

Long distance truck drivers (LDTDs) have been identified as one of the groups at higher risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Understanding how certain social and psychological variables that have a strong theoretical basis contribute to sexual risk behaviour will guide in the implementation process of HIV risk-reduction intervention in the trucking population. In line with the conceptualisation of Information, Motivation and Behavioural skills model, we examined the extent that HIV knowledge, attitude towards condom use, peer support to condom use, perceived vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and condom use self-efficacy will independently and jointly explain sexual risk behaviours of LDTDs in a haulage company in Lagos, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was used and 154 drivers with ages ranging from 27 to 68 years (M = 44.03, SD = 8.82) completed copies of a questionnaire comprising demographics and measures of psychological variables. Psychological factors that included HIV knowledge, attitude towards condom use, perceived vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, peer support to condom use, and condom use self-efficacy significantly jointly predicted sexual risk behaviours (R2 = .59, F(5, 148) = 42.63; p < .05), by accounting for about 59% of the explained variance in sexual risk behaviours. Social factors that included age, number of years of education, number of wives, number of intercourses in the last three months, number of partners apart from primary partners, and number of weeks spent outside home significantly jointly predicted sexual risk behaviour (R2 = .15, F(6, 147) = 4.39; p < .05) by accounting for about 15% of the explained variance in sexual risk behaviour among the drivers. It is concluded that all the psychological and social factors examined as predictor variables could jointly play important roles in prevention intervention programmes for reducing sexual risk behaviours of LDTDs. Stakeholders should sensitise LDTDs on the need to realise that they are a high-risk group and are more vulnerable to HIV infection; thus, behaviour change is indispensable in their sexual relationships

Role of locus of control and perceived effort-reward imbalance in attitude toward unethical work behavior

Understanding what could be responsible for unethical behaviour in population of uniformed job remains an issue of concern in Nigeria. In view of this, we investigated the role of locus of control and effort-reward imbalance in attitude towards unethical work behavior among members of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Nigeria. It was a survey study that adopted ex-post facto research design to collect data from two hundred (n=200) members of FRSC at Oyo sector command and its component units in Ibadan. The questionnaire used comprised locus of control, perceived effort-reward imbalance, attitude towards unethical work behaviour and demographic variables. Multiple regression and t-test for independent measures were computed to test three hypotheses. Locus of control and effort-reward imbalance jointly predicted unethical work behaviour F(2, 197) = p &lt;.05; R2= .36); by accounting for about 36% variation in unethical work behaviour of participants. Locus of control (β = .42; t = 7.29; p &lt;.05) and effort-reward imbalance (β = .36; t = 6.18; p &lt;.05) independently predicted unethical work behaviour. There was no significant sex difference in unethical work behavior of members of FRSC (t = 0.81; df = 198; p &gt;.05). Conclusively, unethical work behaviour among members of FRSC is a function of how they believe they are not in control and perception of presence of effort-reward imbalance. We recommend that intervention for reducing unethical work behaviour in these men and women should be designed toward making them responsible for this behaviour and ensuring fairness in rewarding-efforts relationship.Keywords: Unethical behaviour, locus of control, effort-reward imbalance, gender

Gendered Self-Views Across 62 Countries: A Test of Competing Models

Social role theory posits that binary gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in less egalitarian countries, reflecting these countries’ more pronounced sex-based power divisions. Conversely, evolutionary and self-construal theorists suggest that gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in more egalitarian countries, reflecting the greater autonomy support and flexible self-construction processes present in these countries. Using data from 62 countries ( N = 28,640), we examine binary gender gaps in agentic and communal self-views as a function of country-level objective gender equality (the Global Gender Gap Index) and subjective distributions of social power (the Power Distance Index). Findings show that in more egalitarian countries, gender gaps in agency are smaller and gender gaps in communality are larger. These patterns are driven primarily by cross-country differences in men’s self-views and by the Power Distance Index (PDI) more robustly than the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI). We consider possible causes and implications of these findings.</p