Friday 24 July 09:50
- 11:20
Hall: 24 - Room 3 SPT
Chair and Presenter:
Heidenreich Anna
Co-Chair:
Seebauer Sebastian
Division: Division 4: Environmental Psychology
In (environmental) psychological risk research, there remains a dominant focus on individual perceptions and behavior, often underplaying or even neglecting the broader social, institutional, and political context. This symposium addresses the need to reframe risk as a shared societal challenge, where responsibility does not rest solely with individuals but is negotiated among citizens, institutions, businesses, and policymakers. We highlight the importance of inclusive and participatory approaches to risk governance, in various natural hazards such as floods, heat, and extreme weather events.
The symposium explores how applied psychology can inform and improve the co-design of risk management, the development of shared understandings of risk and coping strategies, and the acceptance of policies in risk communication and mitigation. The first part of the symposium focuses on shared responsibilities of individuals and stakeholders/governance and their interplay concerning natural hazards. The second part focuses on how individual perceptions and vulnerability concerning natural hazards relate to the organisational and built environments they live in.
The contributions address private households, policy stakeholders and primary care personnel to examine perceptions, behaviors, and social dynamics across different stakeholder groups. A particular focus lies on interdisciplinary approaches that combine psychological frameworks with approaches from neighboring disciplines such as serious gaming or system dynamics. All contributions are grounded in theoretical concepts from applied psychology or related fields, advancing both academic understanding and practical applications in risk and crisis contexts.
