Perceptions of Risk in the Management of Nuclear Wastes: Mapping Elite and Mass Beliefs and Attitudes

Technical Report · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5749733· OSTI ID:5749733

Jenkins-Smith, Hank C. ^[1]; Espey, Jennifer L. ^[1]; Rouse, Amelia A. ^[1]; Molund, Douglas H. ^[1]

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1. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

This report describes the results of a set of five surveys designed to assess the perceived risks of nuclear waste management policy in Colorado and New Mexico. Within these states, mail surveys of randomly selected samples were taken of members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, members of the Sierra Club, members of business associations, and state legislators. In addition, a telephone sample of randomly selected households was conducted in Colorado and New Mexico. Using these data, the perceptions of the risk of nuclear waste management -- from production of nuclear energy through permanent storage of nuclear wastes -- are compared for each of the five samples. The degree of trust in, and the perceived political influence of, the more prominent policy actors are assessed. Certain cognitive attributes, including degree of subjective certainty regarding beliefs about risks of nuclear wastes, and likelihood of altering perceived risks when confronted with new information, are compared across samples. In addition, the sample scores from rudimentary knowledge tests about the characteristics of radiation are compared. The relationships among the knowledge scores, cognitive attributes and risk perceptions are evaluated. Perceptions of the balance of media coverage are measured, as are the possible direct and indirect roles of media exposure in risk perception. Aggregate models, testing an array of hypotheses about the bases of nuclear waste risk perceptions, are conducted. These tests indicate that risk perceptions are related to a complex set of factors, and that these factors may differ significantly across the different sub-populations. Finally, the relationships between risk perception and political participation -- including registering to vote, political party affiliation, and level of political activism -- are analyzed.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5749733
• Report Number(s): SAND--90-7002; ON: DE91015370
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
ATTITUDES
COLORADO
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FEDERAL REGION VIII
INFORMATION
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
POLITICAL ASPECTS
PUBLIC OPINION
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SURVEYS
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES