The associative role of crisis perception in the formation of attitudes toward energy independence

This study examines the associative role of crisis perception in shaping societal attitudes toward energy independence in Hungary. Drawing on quantitative results from the Green Deal survey database, the study tests the hypothesis that support for energy independence is driven primarily not by institutional trust, but by individuals’ perceived economic and social uncertainty. Statistical analysis reveals a significant relationship between crisis perception and support for energy independence (Kruskal–Wallis χ² = 10.44; p = 0.0012), while no direct explanatory effect of institutional trust can be identified (p = 0.3897). According to the regression model, subjective cost pressure and crisis perception jointly serve as significant predictors of attitudes toward energy independence (R² = 0.0745). The findings suggest that energy autonomy emerges not merely as a technological or policy preference, but as a societal response to perceived uncertainty. The study contributes to the understanding of the social dimensions of the energy transition by examining energy policy attitudes within the interrelated framework of crisis perception, social vulnerability, and energy autonomy.