Understanding public perspectives on nuclear energy

The levels of and underlying bases for public support, opposition, and ambivalence toward continued nuclear power development are reviewed. Data are presented on the public's general evaluations of nuclear power by indicating the extent of support and opposition, by discussing the interpretation of undecided responses, and by examining changes in public opinion over time. Differences in general attitudes toward nuclear energy related to demographic characteristics, including sex, age, education, income, and geographic region are examined. Bases for explaining public support of and opposition to nuclear power are discussed by identifying consistent patterns of attitudes among pronuclear individuals and among antinuclear individuals in the general public.