Confluence and contours: reflexive management of environmental risk

Emma Soane, Iljana Schubert, Simon Pollard, Sophie Rocks and Edgar Black

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: Government institutions have responsibilities to distribute risk management funds meaningfully and to be accountable for their choices. We took a macro-level sociological approach to understanding the role of government in managing environmental risks, and insights from micro-level psychology to examine individual-level risk-related perceptions and beliefs. Survey data from 2179 UK citizens showed that lay people's funding preferences were associated positively with beliefs about responsibility and trust, yet associations with perception varied depending on risk type. Moreover, there were risk-specific differences in the funding preferences of the lay sample and 29 policy makers. A laboratory based study of 109 participants examined funding allocation in more detail through iterative presentation of expert information. Quantitative and qualitative data revealed a meso-level framework comprising three types of decision makers who varied in their willingness to change funding allocation preferences following expert information: adaptors, responders and resistors. This research highlights the relevance of integrated theoretical approaches to understanding the policy process, and the benefits of reflexive dialogue to managing environmental risks.

Keywords: agency; decision making; environmental risk; government funding; policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18 pages
Date: 2016-06-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published in Risk Analysis, 1, June, 2016, 36(6), pp. 1090 - 1107. ISSN: 0272-4332

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:63823

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