Understanding Local Policy Elites’ Perceptions on the Benefits and Risks Associated with High‐Voltage Power Line Installations in the State of Arkansas

Abstract

Recently, a controversial policy debate has arisen concerning the installation of high-voltage power lines in northwest Arkansas. While proponents argue that such an installation is inevitable to efficiently and reliably support the identified electric load in the region, opponents claim that the lines will degrade the natural environment and hamper the tourism-based local economy in affected regions, notably in Ozark Mountain areas. Of particular interest is to understand how local policy elites perceive the benefits and risks associated with such divisive proposals, which is critical for comprehending the formation and changes of related government policies. Based upon the dual process theory of judgment, this study systematically investigates the triadic relationships between (a) more profound personal value predispositions, (b) affects and feelings, and (c) perceived benefits and risks related to the proposed installation of high-voltage power lines among local policy elites in the state of Arkansas. In doing so, we analyze original data collected from a statewide Internet survey of 420 local leaders and key policymakers about their opinions on the related issues, while considering other factors claimed by previous literature to influence risk perceptions, including trust, knowledge level, and demographic characteristics. Analytical results suggest that grid-group cultural predispositions, as deeply held core values within local policy elites' individual belief systems, both directly and indirectly-through affective feelings-shape perceived utility associated with the installation of high-voltage power lines. We conclude this article by suggesting some practical considerations for better designing policy addressing controversial issues of this nature.

The Origin and Role of Trust in Local Policy Elites’ Perceptions of High‐Voltage Power Line Installations in the State of Arkansas

“…Additionally, this study provides valuable information for CT researchers with regard to treatment of fatalists. Often, fatalists are completely ignored in studies utilizing CT, as, at least by theory, they are not expected to have any significant relationships with variables of interest . However, this study sheds some light on what may be occurring with fatalists.…”

“…Many previous studies have shown that cultural value predispositions influence perceptions of risk across an array of substantive domains . However, the causal mechanism through which this relationship occurs has been underspecified, at best.…”

“…Variations in individuals’ perceptions of risk in various contexts have been examined utilizing this theoretical lens of social construction of risks . According to CT, “social relations” are the means through which “cultural biases” are shared.…”

“…The benefit‐risk perceptions of policy elites may have a direct bearing on individual‐level policy decisions and broader policy‐making practices in society . An examination of factors that may influence the formation of such perceptions can provide valuable insight into understanding particular policy choices supported––or opposed––by various policy actors, or further afield, into proposing new approaches to policy making, especially in an adversarial policy subsystem .…”

Fracking Bad Guys: The Role of Narrative Character Affect in Shaping Hydraulic Fracturing Policy Preferences

“…In order to address the problem of narrative relativity (Jones, ), we leverage Cultural Theory (CT) to populate our narratives with generalizable symbols, wording, and content. CT is an approach originally developed by Mary Douglas () and then further formalized to include grid/group dimensions of sociality, where group denotes the extent to which individuals prefer and associate in groups while grid denotes the extent to which those groups prescribe and constrain preferences and behavior (e.g., Moyer & Song, ; Ripberger, Song, Nowlin, Jones, & Jenkins‐Smith, ; Song, ; Song, Silva, & Jenkins‐Smith, ; Thompson, Ellis, & Wildavsky, ; Tumlison, Moyer, & Song, ). By intersecting the dimensions of grid and group, CT can be used to conceptually classify individuals as one of four cultural types: egalitarian (low grid/high group), hierarch (high grid/high group), individualist (low grid/low group), and fatalist (high grid/low group).…”