JUDGING INVASIVENESS UNDER SCIENTIFIC UNCERTAINTY: VALUE ORIENTATIONS AND REASONING PATTERNS OF PRE-SERVICE BIOLOGY TEACHERS ON THE GOLDEN APPLE SNAIL

In the Anthropocene era, science educators must equip students to reason through uncertainty and navigate value-laden environmental dilemmas. This study aimed to examine how pre-service biology teachers make value-based decisions when facing scientific uncertainty, using the case of the golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) and its designation as an invasive species. Drawing on the framework of post-normal science and environmental ethics, a scenario-based mixed-methods survey was conducted with 191 participants across five universities in South Korea. Quantitative results showed that 69.1% of respondents supported the designation, typically adopting ecocentric and precautionary perspectives, while 30.9% opposed it, citing anthropocentric pragmatism and techno-optimism. Qualitative analysis revealed confirmation bias and temporal framing patterns, with participants selectively interpreting evidence in ways consistent with their prior value orientations. These findings highlighted the importance of fostering uncertainty literacy, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning in science teacher education. The study offers international relevance by addressing how future educators construct environmental judgments under uncertainty, with implications for curriculum design across diverse socio-ecological contexts. Keywords: invasive species, decision making, pre-service teachers, scientific uncertainty, value orientation