Citation

Fleury-Bahi G. Psychol. Rep. 2008; 102(1): 185-193.

Affiliation

Maître de Conférences de Psychologie sociale, Université de Nantes, Nantes Atlantique Universités, LABECD, EA 3259, UFR de Psychologie, Chemin de la Censive du Tertre-BP 81227, Nantes F44312, France. Ghozlane.fleury-bahi@univ-nantes.fr

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

18481680

Abstract

This research addressed environmental risk perception depending on the target evaluated and on the category of hazard (technological and chemical hazards, climate change, loss of biodiversity). Correlations between environmental risk assessment and pro-environmental behavioural intentions were also tested. In a sample of 113 French adults, 15 different environmental risks were evaluated for four different risk targets (oneself, the inhabitants of the town, the inhabitants of the country, and humanity). As expected, environmental hazards were perceived as a greater risk for larger areas. Moreover, risks difficult to conceptualise, which contain both high uncertainty and long-term consequences (climate change, loss of biodiversity) are perceived as less risk to oneself and to the inhabitants of the town and the country of residence than more concrete and immediate risks (technological and chemical). Only the technological and chemical hazards significantly predict pro-environmental behavioural intentions.

Language: en