How and when does information publicity affect public acceptance of nuclear energy?

摘要

Publicizing information about nuclear energy is essential to the nuclear energy development. This research examined the impact of information publicity on public acceptance of nuclear energy (PA), and uncovered the underlying mechanism that links information publicity to PA and the boundary condition to this relationship. Data from 751 respondents in China revealed that information publicity positively and directly impacts PA but the effect is relatively small. Furthermore, information publicity also indirectly impacts PA via perceived benefit and perceived risk. Additionally, the relation among information publicity and PA is contingent on the level of information credibility. Information credibility strengthens the effect of information publicity on PA. This study enriched our understanding of how and when information publicity affects PA and highlighted the mediating roles of perceived risk and perceived benefit and the regulating role of information credibility. Based on the results, policy insights to promote nuclear energy development were discussed.