BioEnv seminar: "Romantic perception of nature and biased risk perceptions"

Michael Siegrist is professor in Consumer behavior at ETH Zurich, and his research focuses on risk perception and risk communication, on acceptance of new technologies, and consumer behavior in the food domain.

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Abstract

In Europe, the Romantic era had a major impact on our perception of nature. The literature and paintings of this era portrayed nature as mysterious and peaceful in contrast to cities and technology. The Romantic era was in stark contrast to the Enlightenment. We hypothesized that the Romantic perception of nature leads to a biased perception of natural hazards, and that the moral component of action is of particular importance above and beyond the mere efficacy of the action. We conducted a survey in Germany (N=531), a country where romanticism was very strong and still influences, for example, the perception of forests. The study shows that individuals with a Romantic worldview tend to perceive greater risks associated with climate change than those without such a view. Additionally, those with a Romantic view of nature are more likely to support measures aimed at reducing climate change risks, even if they are not effective. Finally, the study found a significantly stronger positive correlation between Romantic views of nature and risk perceptions of man-made compared with risk perception of natural hazards. The results suggest that ideas developed during the Romantic era continue to influence hazard perception in Germany. In conclusion, a Romantic view of nature may lead to biased hazard perceptions.