A Social Dilemma of the Nuclear Energy Issue in South Korea: How Social Value Orientation and Trust in Nuclear Energy Control Affect Individuals' Behavioral Intentions

• Published in: Korea observer Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 285 - 311
• Main Authors: Lee, Hyung Min, Park, Jin-Woo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Institute of Korean Studies 22.06.2021; 한국학술연구원
• Subjects: Audiences; Behavior; Citizen participation; Committees; Energy policy; Environmentalism; Information dissemination; Information seeking behavior; Information sharing; Intention; Materialism; News media; Nuclear energy; Nuclear energy policy; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Partisanship; Politics; Psychological aspects; Purchase intention; Social aspects; Social dilemmas; Social values; Value orientations; 정치외교학; South Korea
• ISSN: 0023-3919; 2586-3053
• DOI: 10.29152/KOIKS.2021.52.2.285

This study attempted to demonstrate the effects of social value orientation, along with trust in nuclear energy control, on a variety of behavioral intentions toward nuclear energy. The study revealed that social value orientation exerts significant influence on information sharing intentions and intentions to support pro-nuclear energy policies. More precisely, proselfs were more likely to share relevant nuclear energy information with others as well as to support pro-nuclear energy policies than were prosocials. While individuals' trust in nuclear energy control had significant main effects on several behavioral intentions, interaction effects between social value orientation and trust in nuclear energy were found in relation to information seeking and sharing intentions. The findings of this study helped understand the complicated as well as nuanced social situation for nuclear energy in South Korea.