This thesis examines the process by which cultural value predispositions influence perceptions of risks and benefits of energy policies, specifically focusing on High Voltage Power Line (HVPL) installations and Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking). For HVPL installations I examine the role of (dis)trust in three groups associated with the HVPL debate – the government, environmental groups, and the energy industry – in determining risk and benefit perceptions of HVPL installation. Findings indicate that cultural value predispositions guide policy elites’ perceptions of trustworthiness. Further, this trust, in turn, guides perceptions of risks and benefits of HVPL installations, partially mediating the effects of cultural value predispositions on risk and benefit perceptions. For fracking, I introduce the concept of knowledge hubris and examine the cultural value-based origins of knowledge hubris and the resulting role knowledge hubris plays in predicting risk and benefit perceptions associated with fracking. Further, I compare the role of knowledge hubris in risk and benefit assessments between a sample of the general public and local policy elites. Results indicate that the origins of knowledge hubris are similar between local policy elites and the general public. However, the influence of this knowledge hubris on risk and benefit perceptions of fracking is different between the two groups.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis examines the process by which cultural value predispositions influence perceptions of risks and benefits of energy policies, specifically focusing on High Voltage Power Line (HVPL) installations and Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking). For HVPL installations I examine the role of (dis)trust in three groups associated with the HVPL debate – the government, environmental groups, and the energy industry – in determining risk and benefit perceptions of HVPL installation. Findings indicate that cultural value predispositions guide policy elites’ perceptions of trustworthiness. Further, this trust, in turn, guides perceptions of risks and benefits of HVPL installations, partially mediating the effects of cultural value predispositions on risk and benefit perceptions. For fracking, I introduce the concept of knowledge hubris and examine the cultural value-based origins of knowledge hubris and the resulting role knowledge hubris plays in predicting risk and benefit perceptions associated with fracking. Further, I compare the role of knowledge hubris in risk and benefit assessments between a sample of the general public and local policy elites. Results indicate that the origins of knowledge hubris are similar between local policy elites and the general public. However, the influence of this knowledge hubris on risk and benefit perceptions of fracking is different between the two groups.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Tumlison, Clayton Creed"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts in Political Science (MA)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Schreckhise, William D.","Kerr, Brinck III"],"advisors":["Song, Geoboo"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:58:53Z","subjects":["Social sciences","Psychology","Knowledge hubris","Risk","Trust","Energy Policy","Environmental Policy","Public Policy"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1541","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Schreckhise, William D.","Kerr, Brinck III"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Song, Geoboo"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Tumlison, Clayton Creed"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2016"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-09-29T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts in Political Science (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Social sciences","Psychology","Knowledge hubris","Risk","Trust","Energy Policy","Environmental Policy","Public Policy"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1541"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis examines the process by which cultural value predispositions influence perceptions of risks and benefits of energy policies, specifically focusing on High Voltage Power Line (HVPL) installations and Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking). For HVPL installations I examine the role of (dis)trust in three groups associated with the HVPL debate – the government, environmental groups, and the energy industry – in determining risk and benefit perceptions of HVPL installation. Findings indicate that cultural value predispositions guide policy elites’ perceptions of trustworthiness. Further, this trust, in turn, guides perceptions of risks and benefits of HVPL installations, partially mediating the effects of cultural value predispositions on risk and benefit perceptions. For fracking, I introduce the concept of knowledge hubris and examine the cultural value-based origins of knowledge hubris and the resulting role knowledge hubris plays in predicting risk and benefit perceptions associated with fracking. Further, I compare the role of knowledge hubris in risk and benefit assessments between a sample of the general public and local policy elites. Results indicate that the origins of knowledge hubris are similar between local policy elites and the general public. However, the influence of this knowledge hubris on risk and benefit perceptions of fracking is different between the two groups.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Cultural Values and Risk and Benefit Perceptions: An Examination of the Mediating Roles of Trust and Knowledge Hubris"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Schreckhise, William D.","Kerr, Brinck III"],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Song, Geoboo"],"dc:creator":["Tumlison, Clayton Creed"],"dc:date":["2016"],"dc:date.available":["2017-09-29T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis examines the process by which cultural value predispositions influence perceptions of risks and benefits of energy policies, specifically focusing on High Voltage Power Line (HVPL) installations and Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking). For HVPL installations I examine the role of (dis)trust in three groups associated with the HVPL debate – the government, environmental groups, and the energy industry – in determining risk and benefit perceptions of HVPL installation. Findings indicate that cultural value predispositions guide policy elites’ perceptions of trustworthiness. Further, this trust, in turn, guides perceptions of risks and benefits of HVPL installations, partially mediating the effects of cultural value predispositions on risk and benefit perceptions. For fracking, I introduce the concept of knowledge hubris and examine the cultural value-based origins of knowledge hubris and the resulting role knowledge hubris plays in predicting risk and benefit perceptions associated with fracking. Further, I compare the role of knowledge hubris in risk and benefit assessments between a sample of the general public and local policy elites. Results indicate that the origins of knowledge hubris are similar between local policy elites and the general public. However, the influence of this knowledge hubris on risk and benefit perceptions of fracking is different between the two groups.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1541"],"dc:subject":["Social sciences","Psychology","Knowledge hubris","Risk","Trust","Energy Policy","Environmental Policy","Public Policy"],"dc:title":["Cultural Values and Risk and Benefit Perceptions: An Examination of the Mediating Roles of Trust and Knowledge Hubris"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts in Political Science (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:58:53Z"}