Can power affect environmental risk attitude toward nuclear energy?

Abstract

Nuclear safety has attracted attention from the government and general public. Research has focused on the psychological mechanisms underlying individuals’ environmental risk attitude toward nuclear energy. The aim of this study was to examine whether power affects environmental risk attitudes toward nuclear energy from the perspective of construal level theory and psychological distance theory, since these psychological mechanisms could underlie the influence of power on attitudes to risk. Three studies explored the environmental risk attitudes of participants with different levels of power toward environmental governance of nuclear energy. Results revealed that power affects environmental risk attitudes and perception, with low-power being associated with more risk-avoiding and negative attitude toward the development of nuclear energy relative to high-power. The results of the present study are discussed in reference to policy implications for nuclear energy, such as policy agenda, public participation, and risk communication.