We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
How confident are you in the ability of experts to provide reliable information? Evidence from a choice experiment on microplastics
Summary
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.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Willingness-to-pay for precautionary control of microplastics, a comparison of hybrid choice models
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.
Preferences for microplastic marine pollution management strategies: An analysis of barriers and enablers for more sustainable choices
This survey-based study examined Australian consumers' preferences for microplastic marine pollution management strategies, finding that cost and product trust are key barriers to adopting lower-microplastic products, and that willingness to pay for marine protection has limits.
The Impact of Uncertainty Cue Perception on the Acceptance of Microplastic Policy: Focusing on the Moderating Roles of Trust in Government and Cultural Worldviews
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.
Analysis of Factors Influencing Acceptability of Microplastic Regulation: Intrinsic Factors and Trust in Government
Researchers analyzed factors influencing public acceptability of microplastic regulations in South Korea using a national survey and hierarchical regression, finding that environmental risk perception, policy effectiveness beliefs, and knowledge positively predicted regulatory acceptance. Government trust was found to moderate the relationship between policy effectiveness perceptions and acceptability, especially when regulations carried financial costs.
Risk, efficacy, and the moderating role of policy effectiveness in microplastic reduction intentions
A survey study examined how perceived risk severity, vulnerability, self-efficacy, and response efficacy influence people's intentions to reduce microplastic use, finding that perceived policy effectiveness moderated the relationship between these beliefs and pro-environmental behavioral intentions.