Universität Wien
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200224 SE Seminar in Applied Psychology: Mind and Brain (2025S)

Risk perception and communication in environmental psychology

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 20 - Psychologie
Continuous assessment of course work

Anwendungsseminare können nur für das Pflichtmodul B verwendet werden! Eine Verwendung für das Modul A4 Freie Fächer ist nicht möglich.
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 04.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 11.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 18.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 25.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 01.04. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 08.04. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 29.04. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 06.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 13.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 20.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 27.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 03.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 10.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 17.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610
  • Tuesday 24.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal B Psychologie, NIG 6.Stock A0610

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Experts dealing with environmental issues often face the challenge of effectively communicating their knowledge to the public to achieve various goals, such as informing, explaining potential risks and solutions, influencing attitudes, and encouraging pro-environmental or protective behavior. By attending this seminar, you will gain deeper insights into what drives people’s concerns about the environment and their health, how the communication of science and risks influences these concerns, and what psychological factors shape how people perceive and potentially act on information from experts. We will explore topics such as trust in science, the communication of uncertainty and scientific consensus, scientific literacy as well as the spread of conspiracy theories and fake news in the context of environmental issues.
Objectives of the course:
1) To gain an overview of issues related to risk perception, science communication and risk communication in the context of environmental psychology.
2) To critically reflect on the role of knowledge in changing people's attitudes and behaviour.
3) To learn how to examine different features of science and risk communication from a psychological perspective.
4) To learn how to produce a text on risk or science communication that integrates principles from psychological research.

Assessment and permitted materials

1) Group presentation on a selected topic; relevant literature will be provided (1/3 of the final grade)
2) Assignment 1: Preparation of a pre-registration section aimed at investigating a science communication feature (1–2 pages). (1/3 of the final grade)
3) Assignment 2: Preparation of a short science communication text with a reflection (1–2 pages). (1/3 of the final grade)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

- A pass (genügend) is the minimum requirement for progression.
- Participation in the meetings is required (max 2 meetings can be missed).

Examination topics

Students will be examined on their presentation and two short written assignments (see assessment section above). Each of the three assessments will represent 1/3 of the final grade.

Reading list

To be announced during the course. Examples include:
Böhm, G., & Tanner, C. (2018). Environmental risk perception. Environmental psychology: An introduction, 13-25.
Većkalov, B., Geiger, S.J., Bartoš, F. et al. A 27-country test of communicating the scientific consensus on climate change. Nat Hum Behav 8, 1892–1905 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01928-2
Cologna, V., Baumberger, C., Knutti, R., Oreskes, N., & Berthold, A. (2022). The Communication of Value Judgements and its Effects on Climate Scientists’ Perceived Trustworthiness. Environmental Communication, 16(8), 1094–1107. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2022.2153896

Association in the course directory

Last modified: We 26.02.2025 15:46