Factors Motivating Community Participation in Regional Water-Allocation Planning: A Test of an Expectancy-Value Model

Abstract

The attitudinal determinants of intention to participate in planning for water allocation were assessed among residents of Jandakot, Western Australia. An expectancy-value attitudinal model was developed to assess the relationship between intention to participate and (a) attitudes towards the process of public involvement, (b) subjective norms, and (c) attitudes towards possible outcomes of involvement. It was hypothesised that other attitudinal variables associated with intention to participate would be mediated through these variables. The model was tested against alternative explanatory variables including centrality, self efficacy, political efficacy, and moral norms. Regression analyses indicated that behavioural intention was best predicted by centrality, attitudes towards the process, and subjective norms. Thus the model was not wholly supported. The results are discussed in terms of the development of the theory of centrality and the roles of process and outcome in the evaluation of regional versus neighbourhood public-involvement programs.