Understanding Public Reaction to Energy Proposals: An Application of the Fishbein Model¹

Abstract

The Fishbein attitude model was applied to voter decision‐making on an energy ballot proposal. Questionnaires were sent to a random sample of potential voters in Oregon's 1976 general election and dealt with the Nuclear Safeguards Initiative, a measure that would place restrictions on future nuclear power plants. Questionnaire items probed the attitude toward the act of voting “Yes” on the measure ( A act ), perceived likelihood of various consequences of voting “Yes” ( B i ), evaluations of these consequences ( e i ), the subjective norm ( SN ), normative beliefs ( NB i ), motivation to comply with several referents ( Mc i ), and voting intention ( VI ). A follow‐up interview determined the actual voting behavior ( VB ) of persons responding to the questionnaire. The following model predictions were tested and strongly supported by the data: (a) VB = VI ; and (e) external variables have a nonsignificant relation to VB once VI is partialled out. It was concluded that the Fishbein model should be extremely useful in understanding public reaction to future energy proposals.