Determinants of Civic Cooperation Intention for Firefighting Agency: Test of Trust and Confidence Model

Abstract

The TCC (trust, confidence, and cooperation) model explains that civic cooperation intention for risk management agencies is defined by trust and confidence. Although the validity of this model has been verified by previous studies, further research is needed due to inadequate empirical data on existing institutions with high social needs. The purpose of this study is to examine the applicability of the TCC model for firefighting agencies, which have high social needs and in which the importance of citizens’ cooperation has increased. The following results were obtained from a nationwide web survey: trust has a strong positive effect on cooperation intention, in line with the TCC model. However, contrary to the TCC model, confidence was shown to have a negative effect on cooperation intention. These results were discussed from two perspectives: the definition of confidence and the potential for transforming the TCC model in institutions of high social needs.