| ABSTRCT | Petrochemical industry often faces widespread public opposition in many developing countries. A growing research focuses on alleviating such opposition through improving the knowledge of the relationships between local-context, risk communication, and petrochemical pollution risk perception. A novel methodology that integrated an expected-based utility theory with risk perception mapping approach, geographic information system-based statistics and spatial regression technique was proposed. Using a survey of the residents surrounding two Naphtha Cracker Complexes (NCCs) in Taiwan at different development stages, this study compares the components of residents’ risk perceptions surrounding these two NCCs and their connections with various risk communication practices. Results show that the distribution of risk perceptions among the residents is highly spatial autocorrelated, although their determinants vary per NCC. Surrounding the NCC in operation, proximity and pollution experience have a strong effect on residents’ risk perception, while risk communication factors, such as risk information understanding and social trust, are more critical determinants for the one in development. The policy recommendations are that the risk communication can put great emphasis on encouraging dialogue between various stakeholders and decision-makers, and improve the timing of communicating risk, social trust, and the understanding of the concerns of residents. This helps residents enhance the knowledge of risk information and satisfaction with NCCs’ risk coping responses, especially the NCC at development stage. |