Apel, Beeke (2022) The Influence of an Emotion-Based Approach versus a Rational Approach on People‘s Willingness to Participate in Public Participation. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
A successful sustainable energy transition is needed to mitigate climate change depends considerably on public acceptability. Although the public generally supports a sustainable energy transition, such projects are often met with local opposition, especially if individuals feel excluded in the decision-making process. This resistance can be effectively reduced via public participation, which entails the inclusion of the public in these decision-making processes. However, to be effective, public participation depends on the participation of an ideally diverse sample. Projects concerning sustainable energy transition have been shown to elicit a range of emotions in individuals that are currently neglected in the traditional public participation approach. To increase individuals’ motivation to participate, considering their emotions toward sustainable energy projects is a relevant step. This experimental study conducted in the Netherlands with 195 participants researches the influence of emotions on willingness to participate by comparing emotional deliberation to the traditional approach using rational deliberation. Using Russel’s circumplex model of affect, the results reveal that positive, as well as negative, inactive emotions mediate the effect of emotional deliberation on the willingness to participate, thereby countering previous research. Results reveal the importance to consider citizens emotions in public participation processes regarding sustainable energy transition, thereby providing meaningful implications for policymakers. To benefit from including emotions into the deliberation process of public participation, citizens should be encouraged to base their arguments on either positive; or negative, inactive emotions toward the sustainable energy transition, which in turn increases citizens willingness to participate.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Kok, C.A. and Bouman, T. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Environmental Psychology (EP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Aug 2022 09:56 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Aug 2022 09:56 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/1279 |
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