The Mediating Role of Risk Judgment Competency in the Relationship Between Understanding of the Nature of Science and Technology, Risk Perception, and Willingness to Respond to Risk in the Context of Socioscientific Issues

This study investigated the mediating role of risk judgement competency, encompassing risk identification, analysis, and evaluation, in the relationship between university students’ understanding of the Nature of Science and Technology (NOST), risk-related knowledge, risk perception, and their willingness to respond to risk within the context of socioscientific issues (SSIs). Data were collected from 259 Korean university students using the Scale for Perceived Risk Literacy in Socioscientific Issues (SPRL-SSI), a validated instrument designed to assess risk literacy in SSI contexts. The findings yielded four key results. First, among the three components of risk judgment competency, only risk analysis significantly predicted students’ willingness to respond to risk. Second, risk-related knowledge influenced willingness to respond indirectly, through the mediating effect of risk analysis. Third, risk perception was not significantly associated with any aspect of risk judgment competency, nor did it demonstrate an indirect effect on willingness to respond. Fourth, among the three subcomponents, understanding of NOST exerted the strongest influence on students’ risk evaluation competency. These results underscore the importance of explicitly incorporating instruction on NOST into SSI-based learning environments. Furthermore, they highlight the pedagogical value of engaging students in structured activities that promote the application of risk-related knowledge to the analysis and evaluation of risks. Such instructional practices may enhance students’ capacity for reasoned, evidence-informed, and ethically grounded decision-making in response to complex socioscientific challenges.