Information processing in the “not-in-my-backyard” strategy: An empirical study of anti-nuclear behavioral responses

Abstract

Nuclear power has become an effective way of addressing environmental challenges such as resources depletion and climate change and is consistent with a strategy of sustainable development. However, popular resistance has increased significantly because the potential accident risk poses a tremendous threat to people, property and ecosystems. This study explored the key determinants of the behavioral response to nuclear power plants. The protective action decision model and the heuristic-systematic information processing model were integrated and adapted to construct a hypothetical model emphasizing the important role of information processing strategies in the “not-in-my-backyard” phenomenon. The research verified the arguments by randomly conducting 405 questionnaires. The empirical results show that risk perception and information need are both important in predicting information seeking and behavioral response. Additionally, the results suggest a mediating role of information processing in the relationship between information seeking and behavioral response. Moreover, the results show that systematic processing is different from heuristic processing. Specifically, systematic processing is positively influenced by information seeking and has a negative influence on anti-nuclear behavioral response, but heuristic processing is negatively correlated with information need and positively correlated with behavioral response. Theoretical contributions, policy implications and further research are also discussed.