Dynamic simulation of local acceptance of NIMBY facilities based on the RAS-Deffuant model: The influence of government and media information

Abstract

Research on local acceptance of “not in my backyard” projects has overlooked the attributes of information from diverse sources. By integrating the Receive-Accept-Sample and Deffuant models, this study developed a multi-agent simulation model that factors in information dissemination by governments and the media. Four simulation scenarios were devised to analyze the dynamic evolution of local acceptance. The results showed that self-interaction among individuals leads to local acceptance converging at a low point. Engagement with government information can improve overall acceptance but has a limited effect on extreme opponents, while media message dissemination leads to more divergent attitudes. Enhancing the intensity of government information positively influences local acceptance, with the unified scenario, compared with the heterogeneous scenario, resulting in clearer discontinuity in public opinion over time. Repeated early government information engagement, particularly during a project's inception, can effectively enhance local acceptance. The impact of the media's opinion tendency on local acceptance varies depending on the sequencing of government and media engagement, with early media involvement rendering the public more sensitive to the change in media sentiment, particularly for the two extreme groups. The response of the local public to external information is also influenced by their personalities, with a significant influence from the predisposition to resist relevant messages, while the awareness of the project plays a limited role. This study advances understanding of the evolutionary characteristics of group behaviors in response to diverse external information. It also offers implications for policymakers looking to develop information dissemination strategies that facilitate public communication and acceptance during the decision-making process for projects that include potential environmental hazards.