Acceptance of Main Power Generation Sources among Japan’s Undergraduate Students: The Roles of Knowledge, Experience, Trust, and Perceived Risk and Benefit

In Japan, graduates who become independent professionals in society have the right to choose energy providers given the liberalization of the electricity market in the country. This issue renders student perceptions regarding various types of energy generation a critical factor for decision making. Accordingly, we explored the risk and benefit perceptions of undergraduates regarding Japan’s main energy resources, namely, liquid natural gas (LNG), coal, hydropower, solar and nuclear resources, and petroleum. We also assessed energy acceptance among the target population and its influencing factors, such as student age and gender, school department, hometown, knowledge and experience of main power sources in Japan, and trust in government and power plant operation. These objectives were accomplished through field surveys and empirical characterizations of energy acceptance determinants. Compared with risk perception, benefit perception regarding all kinds of power generation was significantly predicted by knowledge. Experience explained only the perception of benefit from coal power generation, and benefit perception more strongly predicted energy acceptance than did risk perception. The findings suggested the necessity of university energy education programs for increased student knowledge of energy sources. Energy companies should increase energy benefits from economic, environmental, and energy security and safety perspectives to enhance energy acceptance among students. On the basis of the results, we classified energy sources in Japan into obscure (LNG and petroleum), well-known (coal and nuclear), and exploratory (hydropower and solar) resources—a first in the energy field and contributory to energy education design.

Passport to a Mighty Nation: Exploring Sociocultural Foundation of Chinese Public’s Attitude to COVID-19 Vaccine Certificates

Vaccination against COVID-19 is essential against the pandemic. There are broad discussions on adopting certificates for vaccination and the immunity obtained after infection. Based on a national sample of over 2000 participants administered in April 2021, the current study examines the Chinese public’s attitudes to the so-called COVID-19 vaccination passport and factors contributing to their viewpoints. Generally, the Chinese people had favorable opinions on the passport. Among possible contributing factors, income, personal benefit perception, the subjective norm of COVID-19 vaccination, and nationalism were significantly associated with the public’s positive attitude. At the same time, general vaccine knowledge and scientific literacy had an inconstant effect. Echoing recent studies, these findings reveal a collectivism-oriented attitude of the Chinese public towards the proposal to certify vaccination publicly. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were discussed.

Effect Analysis Of Benefit Perception, Ease Perception, Security And Risk Perception Of Merchant Interest In Using Quick Response Indonesia Standard (Qris)

The purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of benefit perception, ease perception, security and risk perception of merchant interest in using Quick Response Indonesia Standard (QRIS) simultaneously or partially. The research variables consist of, X1 is benefit perception X2 is easy perception, X3 is security, X4 is risk perception and Y is merchant interest in using QRIS. Research data is Primary Data, obtained from the results of the distribution of questionnaires designed with the scale likert. The sample of the research was the merchant in pematangsiantar. Test Instruments using Test validity and reliability using SPSS. Technique Analysis, Multiple Regression, Classic Assumption Test, Hypothesis Test (Test F and Test t). The result showed that benefit perception has no significant effect on merchant interest using QRIS, the easy perception has no significant effect on merchant interest using QRIS, the security has significant effect on merchant interest using QRIS and the risk perception has significant effect on merchant interest using QRIS.

The COVID States Project #63: The decision to not get vaccinated, from the perspective of the unvaccinated

This report examines the decision to not get vaccinated (yet) from the perspective of the unvaccinated. That is, obviously, no one is avoiding vaccination because they do not value their health or the health of others. So: what are the primary reasons for the choice to not get vaccinated (yet), from the perspective of those not getting vaccinated? In order to get at this critical issue, for the two waves of our survey conducted April through July, we included closed and open ended survey questions. We focus on 6 categories of answers that people might provide:Life constraints – For example, unable to get to a location to get vaccinated; employment circumstances do not permit taking time off to get the shot(s), or to accommodate side effects.Perception of benefit – Perception that COVID does not pose a major risk to them.Perception of risk – Affirmative beliefs that the vaccine poses a health risk.Uncertainty regarding the risks the vaccine poses – In particular, because of the newness of the vaccines, faster-than-usual development times, and/or lack of testing.Lack of trust in institutions – That the various institutions attesting to the safety of the vaccines are not to be trusted.Fear of needles – That the respondent’s fear of needles is deterring them from getting vaccinated.

Effect of breast-self examination training on health beliefs and practices: student nurses educating relatives

Purpose: Breast self-examination (BSE) is a critical technique in early detection of breast diseases, especially cancer. This quasi-experimental study was performed to evaluate the effects of BSE training on health beliefs and practices among relatives of nursing students. Materials and methods: The study sample consisted of 133 relatives of nursing students. After training student nurses about BSE, they were requested to train their relatives regarding BSE. The data were collected before and 6 months after BSE training. Results: It was determined that 39.1% (n=52) of women performed BSE before the training and 87.2% (n=116) of them after the training and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.0001). Sensitivity perception (Z=-2.915, p=0.004), benefit perception (Z=-4.888, p=0.0001) and confidence perception (Z=-2.503, p=0.012) of women significantly increased and disability perception (Z=-8.576, p=0.0001) decreased significantly after the training. Conclusions: In conclusion, the BSE training given by nursing students to their relatives enhanced health beliefs and practices of the participants.

Investigating factors that affect the adoption of Covid-19 contact-tracing apps. A privacy calculus perspective

On June 16th, the German government issued a Covid-19 contact-tracing app whose privacy settings were fiercely debated in advance. Contrary, potential benefits regarding the acceleration of contact-tracing were advertised. This study aimed to investigate the relative importance of privacy concerns and perceived benefits in relation to the decision to use the app adopting a privacy calculus perspective extended by trust in the app-designers and technological knowledge about the app. Results of a representative German sample (N = 952) revealed that app-users had less privacy concerns, perceived more usage benefits, had more trust and more knowledge about the app than non-adopters. Additionally, a path model revealed that perceiving benefits of the app was more important than having privacy concerns. Trust can help to overcome privacy concerns and to boost benefit perception. Results are discussed concerning consequences for communication strategies when launching technology whose adoption should help in mitigating dangers of pandemics.

Fish Tales: How Narrative Modality, Emotion, and Transportation Influence Support for Sustainable Aquaculture

Considerable research suggests narrative persuasion’s attitudinal and behavioral effects in health and environmental contexts. Whether the format of narrative presentation influences these effects, however, remains unclear. We use an online experiment ( N = 2,225), comparing text and video conditions, to evaluate how exposure to narrative influences transportation, emotions, and risk-benefit perceptions and, in turn, how such perceptions affect attitudes and behavioral intentions toward sustainable aquaculture. Consistent with prior research, the text condition was more transporting than the video. Further, a serial mediation model shows transportation as leading to lower risk perception, higher benefit perception, and higher aquaculture support.

Testing a social-psychological model of public acceptance towards highway infrastructure projects: a case study from China

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.