The Public’s Attitudes and Psychology on AI Issues:
An Analysis from the Perspectives of Agenda-Setting Theory and Need for Orientation

Seohyun An1 . Gunho Lee2

Received: 12 September 2023 / Accepted: 18 October 2023 / Published online: 1 June 2024
C Korean Social Science Research Council 2024

Abstract This research aims to confirm the impact of the media on the formation of public opinion on AI issues and to understand the reason behind that formation through agenda-setting theory. This study showed that public opinion is likely formed in a way that corresponds with the tone of media coverage and that negative reporting is more powerful than positive reporting. The concept of Need for Orientation (NFO), a psychological factor in agenda-setting theory, was utilized to interpret the reasons for changes in public opinion. The results of this study found that the ‘intellectual’ and ‘belonging’ sub-dimensions of NFO functioned to strengthen the participants’ stances in the direction of the articles provided, whereas the ‘topical’ and ‘hedonic’ sub-dimensions diminished the intensification of the participants’ stances. These results regarding the characteristics of public opinion on AI issues could aid in the analysis of situations highly dependent on public support.