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How confident are you in the ability of experts to provide reliable information? Evidence from a choice experiment on microplastics
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This study examined whether people's pre-existing trust in expert knowledge shaped how they responded to a survey asking about willingness to pay for microplastic reduction policies in the UK. Researchers found that respondents who trusted experts more were less likely to stick with the status quo and expressed greater certainty in their choices, though the effect on actual dollar amounts was modest. Understanding how public trust in science shapes environmental policy support is important for designing effective communications about microplastic risks.
Abstract Policy making in areas of scientific uncertainty may be shaped by the public’s stated preferences (SP). SP surveys provide respondents with information about the scenario, typically from expert sources. Here, we tested whether respondents’ pre-existing confidence in the ability of experts in general to provide reliable information was associated with (a) status quo bias, (b) response certainty and (c) willingness to pay (WTP) estimates. Using 670 responses to a 2020 choice experiment on microplastic restrictions in the UK, we show that being ex ante more confident was significantly related to less frequent status quo choices and higher response certainty. However, we only observed differences in mean WTP for our ‘microplastics released’ attribute. Our findings suggest that confidence in expert-provided information shapes how respondents engage with SP surveys, particularly in contexts of scientific uncertainty. Future work to further understand determinants and consequences of perceived expert trustworthiness would be insightful.
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pmpk20/PhD_CEPaper: How confident are you in the ability of experts to provide reliable information? Evidence from a choice experiment on microplastics: A supporting dataset
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This study looked at how much people trust experts (like scientists) when they give information about microplastics—those tiny plastic particles found in water, food, and even our bodies. Using a survey where people made choices based on different information sources, the researchers found that trust in experts significantly shapes how people react to microplastic risks. This matters because if people don't trust the experts warning them about microplastics, they may ignore useful safety information—making clear, credible science communication just as important as the research itself.
pmpk20/PhD_CEPaper: How confident are you in the ability of experts to provide reliable information? Evidence from a choice experiment on microplastics: A supporting dataset
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This study explores how much people trust scientists and experts when they share information about microplastics (tiny plastic particles found in water, food, and even our bodies) and their health risks. Using a survey-based experiment where people made choices based on different information, the researchers looked at whether people's trust in expert sources affects how they respond to health guidance. This matters because if people don't trust the experts warning them about microplastic risks, they may ignore useful safety information—so understanding trust levels can help scientists communicate more effectively about emerging health concerns.
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A survey of UK adults found that people were willing to pay to reduce microplastic pollution and to resolve scientific uncertainty about its effects, with higher willingness to pay to reduce actual pollution than to simply gain information. Hybrid choice models revealed that respondents weighed irreversibility of harm more heavily than uncertainty itself.
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Researchers investigated how uncertainty cues influence public acceptance of microplastic risk policies in South Korea, surveying 1,000 adults nationally and using hierarchical regression analysis. They found that perceiving uncertainty through 'majority opinion' and 'research quality' cues significantly reduced policy acceptance, with government trust and cultural worldviews moderating this relationship.
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