Decoding Your Ride: What Information Builds Human Trust on Real Roads?

Can autonomy level and anthropomorphic characteristics affect public acceptance and trust towards shared autonomous vehicles?

Public acceptance is important for the provision of potentially hazardous facilities and may be affected by many factors such as perceived risk/benefit/stress/fairness and public trust. In this study, the underlying mechanism behind the influence of perceived stress on public acceptance of waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerators was explored by structural equation modeling of a face-to-face questionnaire survey of 1066 urban residents in three regional central cities in China. The results indicate that, firstly, the perceived stress of the laypeople has an impact on their acceptance by influencing risk/fairness they perceived and public trust. Secondly, the paths of influence of individual perceptions on acceptance differ between cities with different economic, cultural, and social characteristics. Perceived stress mainly affects public acceptance through perceived risk in the eastern residents while perceived stress mainly affects public acceptance through public trust in the western residents. The findings clarify the theoretical role of perceived stress in shaping laypeople's acceptance of potentially hazardous facilities which are of value for both governments and owners in siting potentially hazardous facilities.

Nanotechnology in Edible Food Materials (NEFM) raises health concerns and public skepticism, necessitating enhanced regulatory scrutiny and public acceptance strategies. This study delves into the key factors influencing public acceptance of NEFM in China, offering vital insights for strategic policy development to promote NEFM integration. Utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the study analyzed 275 validated responses from Chinese citizens. It reveals that epistemic trust, social trust, and self-efficacy play crucial roles in shaping public attitudes towards NEFM, each through distinct mechanisms. A notable finding is the inverse relationship between epistemic trust and NEFM acceptance, mediated by perceived risks and benefits. This highlights the intricate balance required to address potential negative consequences and uncertainties of NEFM. Public trust in governmental bodies emerges as a significant determinant of NEFM approval, affecting both risk and benefit perceptions, in contrast to the negligible impact of trust in commercial entities. This study also underscores the positive correlation between perceived benefits and NEFM acceptance, suggesting the importance of highlighting tangible NEFM benefits in consumer education and public outreach programs. The study contributes to the theoretical framework by integrating insights from the Social Cognitive Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior. It provides a comprehensive understanding of factors fostering public acceptance of NEFM, vital for policymakers and stakeholders in developing strategies that enhance public perception and acceptance, thereby fostering the growth and advancement of NEFM in China and beyond.

Influences of environmental impact assessment on public acceptance of waste-to-energy incineration projects

Testing the waters: An analytical framework for testing the political feasibility of scenario-based proposals for disposing of CO2 in the oceans

The background of this research is the justification of findings in the form of public services in Indonesia in general, which are not good and not satisfactory. The objectives of this research are; 1) testing the level of public satisfaction with the implementation of basic service programs in Sigi Regency (14 indicators), and; 2) testing the level of public acceptance of the implementation of development programs in Sigi Regency (9 indicators). We use a mix-method approach in analyzing the results of public satisfaction and public acceptance to obtain the depth of data and field results. The results showed that the index of public acceptance of public services in Sigi Regency was 3.92, which means that the majority of Sigi Regency people received local government programs simultaneously. Partially, there are three dimensions in the form of program effectiveness, program efficiency, and dimensions of trust concerning the index of public acceptance of public services in Sigi Regency which is below the average score. However, this dimension does not simultaneously affect the level of public trust in public services in Sigi Regency with a total increase of 76.02%. The implication of this research is the existence of alternative strategies for improvement to improve public acceptance (IPM) and public satisfaction (IKM), including efficiency and public trust in the public acceptance index (IPM) framework, as well as safety and comfort within the public satisfaction index framework (IKM). Keywords : public service; public acceptance index; public satisfaction index; Sigi Regency.

The Fukushima nuclear catastrophe in 2011 had a significant effect on nuclear development worldwide. Despite the numerous studies that assessed nuclear acceptance in recent times, there is currently no study that provides a detailed bibliometric review on the available literature. Therefore, a bibliometric review of public acceptance and nuclear energy has been carried out to better understand their evolution, trends, and future research potentials. In the period under review (2000–2023), 263 documents were published, and a total of 659 researchers produced the literature with an annual growth rate of 7.9%. The factorial analysis revealed key themes; grouped into three clusters: technical operational aspects of nuclear energy (Cluster 1), safety and risk management (Cluster 2), and public policy and social issues (Cluster 3). The word cloud analysis identified common subjects of research such as nuclear safety, risk perception, and public trust, suggesting that further research is needed on societal concerns and effective communication strategies. Collaboration patterns revealed strong research linkages between China and the US, and a number of other internationally collaborative countries such as the UK, Germany, and Japan. Future studies should investigate prediction models for public perceptions of nuclear power and concentrate on comprehending the elements that affect public trust, especially in developing nations. Research on public-private partnerships, psychological aspects influencing attitudes, and the effectiveness of educational initiatives is also crucial. The policy recommendations highlights the need for open governance and broad public participation in decisions concerning nuclear energy to alleviate concerns on safety and environmental risks and therefore nurture public trust in nuclear power.

Research question: Considering the current upward trend of public investment in elite sport, the importance of the public's acceptance cannot be ignored; however, little has been reported on the public's attitude towards elite sport policy. The present study seeks to answer the following research question: What are the significant socio-psychological determinants that influence public acceptance of the promotion of Japan's elite sport policy?Research methods: Data were collected from 921 Japanese respondents by means of a Internet-based survey. Five socio-psychological constructs were analysed in order to identify their impact on public acceptance of elite sport policy: personal benefit, social benefit, risk, trust, and athletes as role models. Structural equation modelling was used to test the causal model consisting of 10 hypotheses.Results and findings: Public acceptance is positively determined by their perception of personal/social benefits and negatively by perceived risks. These constructs are further determined by the public's trust in elite sport policy actors and athlete role model perception.Implications: The present study deepens the discussion on, ‘How a nation can increase the public acceptance of elite sport policy?’ and found theoretical and methodological approaches to fill the research gap. To enhance public acceptance of elite sport policy, policy-makers should focus on the social benefits and values that stem from promoting the policy and variable measures. The development of athletes who act as role models is a crucial requirement of the current Japanese elite sport system, as this construct has the strongest total effect on public acceptance.

The development of brain organoids from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has expanded research into neurodevelopment, disease modeling, and drug testing. More recently, the concept of organoid intelligence (OI) has emerged, proposing that these constructs could evolve to support learning, memory, or even sentience. While this perspective has driven enthusiasm in the field of organoid research and suggested new applications in fields such as neuromorphic computing, it also introduces significant scientific and conceptual concerns. Current brain organoids lack the anatomical complexity, network organization, and sensorimotor integration necessary for intelligence or sentience. Despite this, claims surrounding OI often rely on oversimplified interpretations of neural activity, fueled by neurorealist and reification biases that misattribute neurophysiological properties to biologically limited systems. Beyond scientific limitations, the framing of OI risks imposing ethical and regulatory challenges based on speculative concerns rather than empirical evidence. The assumption that organoids might possess sentience, or could develop it over time, could lead to unnecessary restrictions on legitimate research while misrepresenting their actual capabilities. Additionally, comparing biological systems to silicon-based computing overlooks fundamental differences in scalability, efficiency, and predictability, raising questions about whether organoids can meaningfully contribute to computational advancements. The field must recognize the limitations of these models rather than prematurely defining OI as a distinct research domain. A more cautious, evidence-driven approach is necessary to ensure that brain organoids remain valuable tools for neuroscience without overstating their potential. To maintain scientific credibility and public trust, it is essential to separate speculative narratives from grounded research, thus allowing for continued progress in organoid studies without reinforcing misconceptions about intelligence or sentience.

PurposeTo test a social-psychological model of public acceptance of highway infrastructure projects in the Chinese architecture/engineering/construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThrough a comprehensive literature review, we established a social-psychological model of public acceptance related to benefit perception, risk perception and public trust. We empirically validated our model by using structural equation model analysis based on a questionnaire survey in the S35 Yongjin Highway Infrastructure Project in Yunnan Province, China.FindingsBenefit, trust and risk perception had a significant influence on local residents' public acceptance of highway infrastructure projects; benefit perception and trust perception had a greater influence than risk perception. Public acceptance among local male residents over the age of 35 or those with higher education levels was more likely to be determined by the relative dominance of risk and benefit perceived.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes empirical evidence to the theoretical literature related to locally unwanted land use (LULU) siting and stakeholders in the field of project management from the public perspective. This study also suggests valuable practical implications to authorities, project managers and the public in decision-making and risk communication.Originality/valueAlthough previous studies addressed factors affecting public acceptance towards potentially hazardous facilities, understanding of the implications of these social-psychological factors and their effects are still far from sufficient. This study bridges this gap by exploring the determinants of public acceptance towards highway infrastructure projects based on a selected case in China.

Impact of community engagement on public acceptance towards waste-to-energy incineration projects: Empirical evidence from China

The foreseeable advent of conditionally automated cars (CACs) at SAE Level 3 opens a range of opportunities along with numerous questions that must be addressed to safely adopt this new vehicle technology. While public acceptance and the acceptance of potential users have already been intensively researched, this study investigates the acceptance of CACs from the point of view of different road user groups, such as pedestrians, cyclists and riders of powered two-wheelers (PTWs) as so-called vulnerable road users (VRUs), as well as the drivers of conventional cars. The study measures a priori road user acceptance of CACs using an international population survey that was conducted within the framework of the EU-funded project ‘BRidging gaps for the adoption of Automated Vehicles’ (BRAVE) in the participating countries France, Germany, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden as well as in Australia and the USA. Including 5,827 respondents, the study findings disclose a rather positive acceptance of CACs from the perspective of different road user groups. However, concerns are also apparent. Results from multivariate analyses indicate that the acceptance of CACs differs between road user groups in that VRUs demonstrated lower acceptance than non-automated car drivers. The role of trust in the new vehicle technology also appears to be remarkable. Consequently, future developments of CACs should also focus on communication between automated cars and bystanders (e.g. via external human-machine interfaces) to reduce uncertainties and promote trust.

As journalism undergoes rapid digital transformation, the ethical landscape of the profession is also evolving in complex ways. This paper examines the historical roots and philosophical foundations of journalism ethics, examining how cultural, political, and technological shifts have redefined ethical norms globally. The study reviews journalism’s evolution, especially in Western contexts, and investigates how the digital era, characterized by mobile platforms, social media, and artificial intelligence, is disrupting traditional journalistic practices. Key ethical challenges in the digital age include misinformation, declining public trust, blurred lines between reporting and content creation, and the commodification of news for profit-driven agendas. Through detailed analysis of regulatory frameworks, journalistic education, and relevant case studies, this paper underscores the need for renewed ethical standards that prioritize accuracy, accountability, and inclusivity. The findings point toward a future where journalism must reconcile technological innovation with its enduring mission to inform, critique, and serve a democratic society. Keywords: Journalism ethics, digital media, misinformation, public trust, AI in journalism, media regulation, journalism education.

Energy Projects, Social Licence, Public Acceptance and Regulatory Systems in Canada: A White Paper

The Covid-19 vaccination program in Indonesia had been started since early 2021. Effectiveness, side effects, and the level of public awareness are still a problem in achieving the predetermined Covid-19 vaccination target. the study aimed to describe the level of public confidence in the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccine is an effective intervention that can reduce the high burden of disease globally. However, public skepticism about vaccines is a pressing issue for public health authorities. With the availability of the Covid-19 vaccine, there is little information available about public acceptance and attitudes toward the Covid-19 vaccine in Indonesia. The method used in this research is a Literature Review study. The results of this study are low-public trust or low trust in the vaccination policy itself, especially in the early days of the presence of vaccines in Indonesia. This low-public trust is much influenced by the distribution of information on social media which gives rise to a narrative of debate. This situation also has an impact on the pattern of acceptance, cooperative interest, and public participation in government policies in the vaccination program, in increasing public trust, of course, there is a role for the media as well to provide education and information on all matters related to the vaccination program. The government’s efforts to cooperate with the Indonesian Ulema Council in supervising halal vaccine products seem to have an influential intensity, this is because Indonesia is a country with the majority of the population converts to Islam, so with the MUI fatwa stating that vaccines used for the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia are considered and monitored for purity. But as time goes on and the government continues to make efforts, the public’s confidence in the COVID-19 vaccination is getting better, and the success of preventing COVID-19 is going well.
 Keywords: public trust, vaccination, Covid-19, policy