Hans Kastenholz

Public participation in impact assessment: A social learning perspective

Abstract This paper is a contribution to the development of normative criteria for evaluating models of the participation process. The concept of social learning is described and an effort to show how communities of people with both diverse and common interests can reach agreement on collective action to solve a shared problem. The authors have developed the idea of “cooperative discourse” as a method to achieve consensus. The authors utilize the case study of the siting of a municipal waste disposal facility in the eastern region of the Canton of Aargau in Switzerland, to demonstrate the applicability of “cooperative discourse”. They argue that successful public participation must yield not only fair and competent decisions, but also uncover common needs and understandings that transcend egoistic aims, and contribute to the development of democracy.

Public acceptance of nanotechnology foods and food packaging: The influence of affect and trust

Nanotechnology is increasingly being employed in the areas of food production and packaging. Public perception will be crucial to the realization of these technological advances. We examined how lay people (N=153) perceive nanotechnology foods and nanotechnology food packaging, and we examined the factors that influence willingness to buy these products. Participants received some general information about nanotechnology, and specific information about four nanotechnology applications. Overall, participants were hesitant to buy nanotechnology foods or food with nanotechnology packaging. Results suggest, however, that nanotechnology packaging is perceived as being more beneficial than nanotechnology foods. Results further suggest that social trust in the food industry is an important factor directly influencing the affect evoked by these new products. As suggested by the affect heuristic, affect had an impact on perceived benefits and perceived risks. Perceived benefit seems to be the most important predictor for willingness to buy.

Perceived risks and perceived benefits of different nanotechnology foods and nanotechnology food packaging

Nanotechnology has the potential to generate new food products and new food packaging. In a mail survey in the German speaking part of Switzerland, lay peoples (N=337) perceptions of 19 nanotechnology applications were examined. The goal was to identify food applications that are more likely and food applications that are less likely to be accepted by the public. The psychometric paradigm was employed, and applications were described in short scenarios. Results suggest that affect and perceived control are important factors influencing risk and benefit perception. Nanotechnology food packaging was assessed as less problematic than nanotechnology foods. Analyses of individual data showed that the importance of naturalness in food products and trust were significant factors influencing the perceived risk and the perceived benefit of nanotechnology foods and nanotechnology food packaging.

Consumers’ willingness to buy functional foods. The influence of carrier, benefit and trust

The goal of the present study was to examine factors that influence willingness to buy functional foods. Data were collected from a representative mail survey in Switzerland (n=249). Results suggest that consumers are more inclined to buy functional foods with physiological health claims compared with psychological health claims. Health claims were most positively evaluated when attached to a product with a positive health image. Results further show that participants who have trust in the food industry are more likely to buy functional foods compared with participants who do not have trust in the food industry. Older consumers were more interested in functional foods than younger consumers.

Determinants of environmental action with regard to climatic change

The study of human dimensions of global climatic change is still in the initial stage of development. Several attempts have been undertaken to define sensible research strategies in the field but until now relatively little empirical work has been undertaken and there is a lack of sound theoretical arguments. The present paper presents a theory-based empirical study of determinants influencing the probability that somebody takes climate-relevant environmental action. Important methodological differences between current models of climate dynamics and models of human reality are discussed in order to build three models of climate-related environmental action. A model focussed on the information transfer from science to the public at large is compared with a model focussed on sociodemographic characteristics and with a model focussed on socio-cultural variables like interpersonal rules and social networks. The hypothesis that the latter model is strongly superior to the former ones is tested and confirmed. Some implications for interdisciplinary cooperation and for policy making are discussed.

Risks and nanotechnology: the public is more concerned than experts and industry

1–3 . Here, based on two surveys, we show that lay people perceive more risks associated with nanotechnology than experts and, moreover, that companies may not sufficiently address public concerns, even though the importance of implementing risk assessment procedures during the early stages of technology development is well known. To test whether lay people and experts differ with respect to risks associated with nanotechnology, we asked a quota sample of lay people (n=375; German-speaking part of

Acceptance of nanotechnology in food and food packaging: a path model analysis.

The aim of the present study was to examine factors that may influence the acceptance of nanotechnology products in the food domain. Data come from a representative mail survey conducted in the German‐speaking part of Switzerland (n = 514). Participants received information about six realistic nanotechnology food and food packaging applications. Results showed that trust, general attitude toward technology and attitude toward gene technology influenced perceived benefits of the applications. Trust, attitude toward gene technology and preferences for healthy and organic food influenced perceived risks of nanotechnology applications. Willingness to buy nanotechnology food and packaging products was strongly influenced by perceived benefits and weakly influenced by perceived risks. Furthermore, the study showed that food and packaging applications containing nanoparticles are perceived differently, the latter receiving greater acceptance.

Discursive methods in environmental decision making

Sustainable practices can be initiated or encouraged by governmental regulation and economic incentives. A major element to promote sustainability will be, however, the exploration and organization of discursive processes between and among different actors. Many analysts agree that sustainability will remain a highly desirable, but unrealistic option for development, if people do not feel a degree of ownership and identity with the goal of sustainability for their own life and a preference for its policy implications. Inviting the public to be part of the decision-making process from the beginning improves the likelihood that the resulting decision will be accepted. Participatory processes are needed that combine technical expertise, rational decision making, and public values and preferences. To accomplish such an integration, negotiation, mediation, and arbitration are potential solutions. Many different procedures and forms of mediation have been proposed and some tested. One major attempt of the authors has been the organization of round-table discourses among a wide variety of stakeholders to develop environmental policy goals or to design local and regional waste management plans. These discourses are based on the assumption that each participant can contribute to the common good if the setting of the discourse encourages the generation of shared values and discourages strategic reasoning. The emphasis of the paper will be on the model of cooperative discourse and first applications in Germany, Switzerland and the United States.

How to Apply the Concept of Sustainability to a Region

Abstract The term “sustainable development” is a prophetic combination of two words which unites both aspects—economic progress and environmental quality—in one vision. The attractiveness of such a term has its price, however. It can become an empty phrase if it is not clearly defined and conceptualized. What is needed is a description of the concept that is exact as possible, and details on how to operationalize it. Such a definition should allow for flexibility, but not arbitrariness, in implementing the concept. The project of the Center of Technology Assessment in Baden-Wurttemberg with the title “Qualitative Growth as Prerequisite for Sustainable Development in Baden-Wurttemberg” is an attempt to accomplish this. The aim of the project is to develop a concept of sustainable development on a regional scale by developing general guidelines and conversion strategies for the various players involved.

Perception of Uncertainty: Lessons for Risk Management and Communication

The perception of risk among the general public is a rather complex phenomenon that cannot be described on the basis of a single theory or model. The major accomplishment in the psychological research was the discovery of the qualitative risk characteristics and the semantic images that serve as heuristic tools for classifying and evaluating risk sources or activities. The intuitive process of evaluating risk is governed by a multidimensional balancing procedure involving expected losses, situational circumstances, and associations with respect to the risk source. Communication programs need to incorporate these findings if they want to give people the opportunity to make prudent judgments about acceptability. The common prejudice, however, that lay people are unable to process probabilistic information is not true. As our case study demonstrates, people understand risk information and can integrate probabilities in their decision-making process. But this information is only one among others for them to form their own attitudes and judgments.