A Micro Model of Problem Definition and Policy Choice: Issue Image, Issue Association, and Policy Support of Power Plants

In: Policy studies journal: the journal of the Policy Studies Organization, Volume 48, Issue 1, p. 11-37

Abstract

Past research on problem definition and public policy primarily focuses on the macro‐system level. In this study, we propose a micro model of problem definition and policy choice at the individual level. We argue that while individual citizens' problem definitions and policy preferences are rooted in and filtered through their predisposition characteristics (such as socioeconomic status, political orientation, and informational base), their policy choices also strongly depend on how they define public issues, particularly how they perceive the image of an issue at hand and how they associate the issue with other public issues. Our empirical analyses, based on data from a national public survey on energy and power plant issues, support the key propositions derived from our theoretical model. Key contributions to and implications for policy studies are discussed in conclusion.