Investigation of Reasoning Modes in Making a Decision about Hydroelectric Power Plants which is a Socio- scientific Issue

Abstract

-The purpose of this study was to determine reasoning modes of different groups of people while they were making a decision about Hydroelectric Power Plants (HPP). Twenty people from each group (member of environmental organizations, local people, distant people) and 7 officials participated in the study. Data were collected by a questionnaire which consisted of general knowledge about HPP, its advantages and disadvantages, and a question asking if they think that construction of HPP should be terminated or not. Coding scheme in Liu, Lin, and Tsai (2010) was applied. Reasoning modes were coded into four categories: ecological, scientifictechnological, socio-economical, and ethical-esthetical. Most of the participants decided on terminating the construction of HPP and their reasoning modes were mostly socio-economical and ecological. Ethical-esthetical and scientific-technological reasoning were less. The people who decided on continuing HPP mostly reasoned from socio-economical and scientific-technological modes. Ethical- esthetical reasoning was rare and ecological reasoning was less than the other group