To increase disaster preparedness in immigrants, risk communication and management need to be tailored to their needs and concerns. To this end, research needs to uncover how immigrants construe natural disaster risks and issues in the context of the receiving community’s social environment, and how their experiences compared to the general population. The goal of this thesis was to understand how risk perception and the social environment relate to immigrants and Canadian-born individuals’ disaster preparedness. The relationship between risk perception and disaster preparedness was investigated in the first study. Analyses of the data from a national survey revealed that both groups shared three core risk perception dimensions: external responsibility for disaster management, self-preparedness responsibility, and illusiveness of preparedness. However, they differed in the salience of five risk perception beliefs. For both groups, external responsibility for disaster management and self-preparedness responsibility were positively associated with preparedness behaviours, whereas illusiveness of preparedness was negatively related to preparedness behaviours. In the second study, the relationship between community social capital and individuals’ preparedness behaviours was investigated. Analyses of two conceptually-linked national surveys revealed that neighbourhood contact and societal trust predicted during-disaster preparedness behaviours in both groups. Interestingly, societal trust positively predicted emergency planning in Canadian-born individuals but the reverse was true for immigrants. To provide a comprehensive social-ecological perspective, twenty-two individual interviews were conducted to explore immigrants and Canadian-born individuals’ lived experiences of natural disaster risks and issues. A unifying thread across five emergent themes showed that individuals did not perceive natural disaster risks as a valid threat and disaster preparedness as relevant to their daily lives because they believed that the positive social environment in Canada would mitigate the risks. For immigrants, the immigrant condition and culture shaped how they construed natural disaster risks and issues. Overall, findings suggest that risk communication and management need to focus on building human capital and social capital, use an all-of-society engagement approach, and reframe all-hazards preparedness as relevant for daily stressors. Specific for immigrants, disaster initiatives need to be tailored to the timeline of experience of being an immigrant within the context of their receiving communities.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2015-12-17T19:47:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 fabricioluisdeandrade.pdf: 7057434 bytes, checksum: a55af7d732de984b9bfdfca483496632 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-01-25T15:12:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 fabricioluisdeandrade.pdf: 7057434 bytes, checksum: a55af7d732de984b9bfdfca483496632 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-25T15:12:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 fabricioluisdeandrade.pdf: 7057434 bytes, checksum: a55af7d732de984b9bfdfca483496632 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-04 / FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar e detalhar pontos com risco para movimentos de massa - na tipologia movimento de blocos rochosos - na área tombada do Morro do Cristo em Juiz de Fora, MG, bem como a percepção deste risco por parte da população residente nas áreas consideradas mais vulneráveis junto ao sopé da mesma. O estudo foi desenvolvido na porção compreendida pelo polígono estabelecido pelas ruas Espírito Santo e São Sebastião, sentido N-S e pela vertente tombada do Morro do Cristo e a Av. Olegário Maciel, sentido WE. O estudo foi dividido em quatro etapas: na primeira etapa buscou-se identificar e avaliar a estabilidade dos blocos de rocha com dimensões iguais ou superiores a 100x100x100cm. Para tanto, foi utilizada a ficha de avaliação de estabilidade de blocos rochosos (BRASIL, 2011). Na segunda etapa identificou-se as tipologias dos movimentos dos blocos classificados como instáveis e muito instáveis (INFANTI e FORNASARI, 1998). Na terceira etapa verificou-se a percepção de risco que os moradores das áreas mais vulneráveis possuem, por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, que foram transcritas e tiveram seu conteúdo analisado conforme Bardin (1977). Na quarta e última etapa foram elaboradas uma árvore de falhas e um diagrama de causa e consequência (ROCHA, 2005). Um total de trinta (30) blocos foram identificados e avaliados, sendo que destes, três (3) se encontravam instáveis e dez (10) muito instáveis. As quedas e rolamentos mostraram-se como os movimentos comuns no local. Os resultados das entrevistas revelaram uma baixa percepção do risco por parte dos moradores. Consequências naturais e/ou antrópicas são as causas possíveis para as quedas e/ou rolamentos de blocos de rocha. As medidas para a redução da instabilidade dos blocos de rocha e conseqüente redução do risco no local consistem em intervenções de responsabilidade do poder público. A partir desses dados é possível apontar a condição de alto risco para movimento de blocos de rocha na área de estudo. / This research had as its objective to identify and detail risky points for mass movements – in the rock block movement typology – in the protected area of Morro do Cristo in Juiz de Fora, MG, as well as the perception of this risk by part of the population residing in the areas considered to be more vulnerable by its foothills. The study was developed in the part surrounded by the polygon made by the streets Espírito Santo and São Sebastião, running N-S and by the protected slope of Morro do Cristo and Av. Olegário Maciel, running W-E. the study was divided in four stages: on the first stage we sought to identify and evaluate the stability of the rock blocks with dimensions of or above 100x100x100cm. For that we used the rock block stabilization evaluation form (BRASIL, 2011). On the second stage we identified the movement typology of the blocks classified as unstable and very unstable (INFANTI and FORNASARI, 1998). On the third stage we elaborated a tree of faults and a diagram of cause and effect (ROCHA, 2005). On the fourth and last stage we verified the perception of risk that the residents of the more vulnerable areas suffer by means of semistructured interview, which were transcribed and had their content analyzed according to Bardin (1977). A total of thirty (30) were identified and evaluated, out of them, three (3) were found unstable and ten (10) very unstable. The falls and rolls presented themselves as common movements in the place. The results of the interviews revealed a low perception of risk by part of the residents. Natural and/or man-made consequences are the possible causes for the falls and/or rolls of rock blocks. The measures for the reduction of the instability of the rock blocks and consequent reduction of risk in the place are interventions liable to the public authorities. From this data it is possible to point out a high-risk condition for the rock block movements in the studied area.

A presença dos riscos nas sociedades contemporâneas, industrialmente avançadas, dominadas pela incerteza e pela insegurança em razão da constante possibilidade de ocorrência de desastres ambientais e tecnológicos, cujos efeitos não são totalmente previsíveis, conduziu a importantes alterações nas principais instâncias responsáveis pelo desenvolvimento - ciência, tecnologia e política. Um dos desafios para atingir o almejado desenvolvimento regional sustentável diz respeito à adequada governança desses riscos, entendendo por governança de risco as muitas maneiras pelas quais os diversos atores sociais, indivíduos e instituições, públicas e privadas, lidam com os riscos. A presente dissertação parte da análise crítica do estudo de caso do entorno de uma instalação industrial de engarrafamento e distribuição de Gás Liquefeito de Petróleo (GLP), no município de São José dos Campos (SP), e infere sobre a ação de diversos atores sociais envolvidos na gestão municipal do ambiente construído, tendo como eixo estruturante o equacionamento dos Riscos Tecnológicos. Para atingir o objetivo proposto diagnosticaram-se os principais riscos tecnológicos decorrentes das atividades da indústria de petróleo e gás desenvolvidos no município; identificou-se a percepção de risco de atores sociais envolvidos; tipificou-se a relação entre esses atores; identificou-se o modelo de Gestão dos Riscos Tecnológicos existentes; e propõem-se caminhos para melhoria do quadro identificado, com o efetivo engajamento das comunidades locais no processo decisório do desenvolvimento almejado e definição dos riscos aceitáveis. / The presence of risks in contemporary societies, industrially advanced societies dominated by uncertainty and insecurity because of the constant possibility of technological and environmental disasters, whose effects are not fully predictable, led to important changes in the main bodies responsible for development - science, technology and policy. One of the challenges to achieve the desired sustainable regional development concerns the proper governance of these risks, risk governance by understanding the many ways in which various social actors, individuals and institutions, public and private, deal with the risks. This dissertation, part of the critical analysis of the case study in the vicinity of an industrial plant bottling and distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas - LPG, in the municipality of São José dos Campos - SP and infers about the action of the various actors involved in municipal management of the built environment, with the structural axis settling of technological risks. To reach that goal, was diagnosed major technological risks arising from the activities of oil and gas activities in the municipality; identified the risk perception of the stakeholders involved; typified the relationship between these stakeholders; identified the model of Management of Technological Risk existing and propose paths for improving the framework identified with the effective engagement of local communities in the decision-making process of `development sought and the definition of `acceptable risk.

This paper uses a comparative focus group method to explore the conditions for risk communication after a hypothetical nuclear accident requiring decontamination. This is achieved by examining and comparing how older men and younger women express their deeper thoughts and ideas about risk and risk communication, and possible dilemmas they might face in the event of such an accident. Four focus groups were conducted with 18 residents of Örebro (eight younger women and ten older men). The discussions were recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically. The results showed clear differences between the groups in terms of frames of reference and ideas about their own actions. Similarities were found in how the view of risks related to radiation was dominated by fear, uneasiness and worry, and especially in how the need for information was expressed. The conclusions show that more research is needed to better understand the conditions for risk communication about such complex and stigmatizing issues in a Swedish context. / Denna uppsats använder en komparativ fokusgruppmetod för att undersöka förutsättningarna för riskkommunikation efter en hypotetisk kärnteknisk olycka som kräver sanering. Mer specifikt görs detta genom att undersöka och jämföra hur äldre män och unga kvinnor uttrycker sina djupare föreställningar om risk och riskkommunikation, samt möjliga dilemman de kan ställas inför vid en dylik olycka . Fyra fokusgrupper genomfördes med 18 personer bosatta i Örebro (åtta yngre kvinnor och tio äldre män). Diskussionerna spelades in, transkriberades och analyserades tematiskt. Resultaten visade på tydliga skillnader mellan grupperna vad gäller referensramar och föreställningar om det egna agerandet. Likheter framkom i hur synen på risker med strålning dominerades av rädsla, obehag och oro, och framförallt vilket informationsbehov respondenterna uttryckte sig ha. Slutsatserna pekar på att vidare forskning behövs för att bättre förstå förutsättningarna för riskkommunikation om sådana komplexa och stigmatiserade frågor i en svensk kontext.

This dissertation reports the activities, methods, and key findings of a doctoral research project in applied anthropology and an environmental anthropology fellowship. The research project was conducted through the Department of Anthropology at the University of Michigan, while the fellowship was sponsored jointly by the Society for Applied Anthropology and the United States Environmental Protection Agency and was conducted through the Great Lakes Fellowship Program of the Great Lakes Commission, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Together, these projects demonstrated the utility of an ethnographic approach called Risk Perception Mapping (RPM) to the public consultation and social research interests of the Commission and its associated network of environmental management agencies and organizations. Through consultation with these organizations I identified an environmental management problem to which anthropological perspectives and methods would be particularly well-suited: Can the undesirable social phenomenon of environmental discrimination be minimized by assuring greater equality in access to public participation in environmental management? To address this problem, I conducted an RPM demonstration project in a five county area surrounding the Fermi II nuclear power plant in southeastern Michigan. My research focused on cultural, geographical, and social-contextual factors that influence the nature and distribution of perceived risk among populations that are potentially affected by environmental management projects. Key findings pertain to perceptually-specific communities of environmental risk and have implications for what I call "participatory equity" in environmental management. Potential applications to Great Lakes environmental management center on developing equitable population-specific exchanges of information through which more culturally sensitive indicators of Great Lakes ecosystem integrity may emerge. Anthropological contributions to public participation in environmental management are discussed with particular attention to anthropological perspectives on the multiple publics that comprise locally affected communities of environmental risk.

Miljörisker är risker som är relaterade till miljöproblem och hot kopplat till det. Hur människor i Sverige uppfattar det kan skilja sig runt om i landet. Den här studiens syfte är att undersöka uppfattningen och riskperceptionen hos människor i de två orterna Skoghall och Tullinge, samt hur samhällsstrukturer och kulturella världsbilder påverkar uppfattningen och synen på miljörisker relaterat till klimatförändringar och luftföroreningar. Studien använder en komparativ metod där riskperception och uppfattningar hos människor i de två orterna är egenskaperna som jämförs utifrån det teoretiska ramverket Cultural Theory of Risk. Fokusgruppsintervjuer används för datainsamling som genomfördes under två tillfällen i respektive ort, data analyseras med tematisk analys där mönster i intervjusvar beskrivs i form av teman. Studiens resultat visar att skillnader såväl som likheter kan hittas i uppfattning av miljörisker i båda orterna. Den största skillnaden mellan orterna är att det finns mångfald vad gäller synen på miljörisker på en lokal nivå i Skoghall än i Tullinge, där det visar sig råda mer samsyn. Den största likheten mellan orterna är hur nyheter och media med mera påverkar människors uppfattning av miljörisker på ett sätt som gör att de bland annat anser att klimatförändringar och luftföroreningars effekter skulle bli mer allvarliga utanför Sverige. Slutligen visar studien att det generellt finns en påverkan från samhällsstrukturer och kulturella världsbilder i riskperception hos människor som är delvis grunden till skillnaderna och likheterna mellan orterna. / Environmental risks are risks connected to environmental issues and threats that come with them. How people in Sweden perceive them can vary around the country. This study’s purpose is to examine the comprehension and perception of environmental risks linked to climate change and air pollution in the two localities of Skoghall and Tullinge. How social structures and cultural worldviews are affecting them is also examined. The study is using a comparative method where the risk perception and comprehension of the people in the two localities are the characteristics that are compared, based on the theoretical framework of Cultural Theory of Risk. Focus group interviews are used to collect data with two interviews that is made in each locality, the data is analyzed with Thematic analysis where patterns in the interview answers are described through themes. The result of this study shows that there are differences and similarities between the localities when it comes to the comprehension of environmental risks. The greatest difference between the localities is that there is more of a diversity in perception of environmental risks on a local level in Skoghall than in Tullinge, where there is more of a consensus on the matter. The greatest similarity between the localities is regarding how news and media etc. are influencing people’s comprehension of environmental risks in a way that they, among other things, think that the effects of climate change and air pollution would be more serious outside of Sweden. Finally, the study shows that there is a general effect from social structures and cultural worldviews on the risk perception of people in both localities, which is partially the cause of the differences and similarities between them.

En pandemisk influensa medför en stor risk för samhället där både sociala och ekonomiska aspekter tar skada. Risker kräver beredskap på såväl internationella som individuella nivåer och kan påverka hur stor konsekvensen av en risk blir. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka den individuella beredskapen kring det nya coronaviruset, covid-19. Med stöd av ramverket Protection Motivation Theory som beskriver människors olika beteenden inför en risk och vad som motiverar individer till att vidta en eller flera skyddande åtgärder. Vilka faktorer som påverkar en individs riskperception och hur detta i sin tur kan påverka den individuella beredskapen undersöks i studien. Även betalningsviljan för ett eventuellt vaccin mot covid-19 undersöks.   Metoden som används för att undersöka individernas riskperception av covid-19 är en kvantitativ enkätundersökning. Enkäten konstruerades till stor del utifrån ramverket och dess faktorer som sägs påverka en individs beteende men också utifrån studiens forskningsfråga och för att uppfylla uppsatsens syfte. Enkäten genomfördes av studenter på tre olika program på Karlstads Universitet.   Studiens resultat visar att Karlstads Universitetsstudenter inte uppfattar smittan eller spridningen av covid-19 som något stort hot vid den tiden då undersökningen genomfördes, mellan 24 februari och 11 mars. Detta har även lett till att skyddande åtgärder inte vidtagits i någon stor omfattning för att stoppa smittan eller spridningen av coronaviruset. De skyddande åtgärderna har inte heller, enligt majoriteten av studenterna, uppfattats som effektiva för att undvika smitta eller spridning av covid-19 trots att de rekommenderats av svenska myndigheter.  Betalningsviljan för vaccinering är enligt denna studie hög i jämförelse med vad tidigare vaccineringar mot pandemisk influensa har kostat trots att viljan för vaccination mot covid-19 endast finns hos hälften av respondenterna.   Slutligen kan det konstateras att riskperceptionen påverkar den individuella beredskapen gentemot en risk och att detta bidrar till vilka åtgärder som vidtas eller inte. Uppfattningen av en risk kan påverka vilken information som tas upp av en individ, vilka åtgärder som vidtas och under en pandemisk influensa kan den individuella beredskapen påverka spridningen av ett virus och därmed ett helt samhälle. / A pandemic flu poses a great risk to society where both social and economic aspects are harmed. Risks require preparedness at both international levels and individual levels and can affect the extent of the risk. This study aims to investigate the individual preparedness of the new coronavirus, covid-19. With support from the framework Protection Motivation Theory which describes people's various behaviors at risk and what motivates individuals to take one or several protective measures. The factors that affect an individual's risk perception and how they in turn influence the individual preparedness are examined in the study. The willingness to pay for a possible covid-19 vaccine is also being investigated.   The method used to investigate individuals' risk perception of covid-19 is a quantitative survey. The questionnaire was constructed mainly on the basis of the framework and its factors that states to have influence on individual behavior. Also, the questionnaire was constructed to answer the study's research question and fulfill the purpose of the essay. The survey was conducted by students in three various programs at Karlstads University.   The study's results show that students at Karlstads University do not perceive the infection or extent of covid-19 as a major threat at the time the survey was conducted. This has shown that protective measures have not been taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The protective measures have not been considered effective to avoid the virus or the spread of covid-19 although they have been recommended by Swedish authorities. According to this study, the willingness to pay for vaccination is high in comparison with what previous vaccines against pandemic flu has cost, although the willingness for vaccination against covid-19 is found only in half of the respondents.   Finally, it can be found that risk perception affects individual preparedness in a crisis and that this contributes to what measures are taken. The perception of a risk can affect how information is taken up by an individual, what measures are taken and during a pandemic flu the individual preparedness can affect the extent of a virus spread and by that an entire society.

<p>Cybercrime and online scams are rampant in today’s tech-savvy world. In the past, scammers relied heavily on emails to contact potential victims but today, the presence and widespread usage of social networking platforms and e-commerce businesses has increased the availability of potential victims and made them easily accessible. It could be assumed that since unsuspecting users seek various products or services online - rentals, booking trips, seeking jobs, dating, it makes them easy targets for scammers yet, it is not just individual users who suffer from fraud, but organizations and institutions as well. A study at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research found that cybercrime costs the global economy up to approximately 540 billion euros annually. There is plenty of research on the technical measures that individuals and organizations may take to prevent themselves from falling prey to fraudsters, however, research trends in the recent past have shifted towards analyzing the human element present in the scenarios. Researchers have argued that identifying the underlying psychological and sociological factors used by fraudsters could help tackle the very root cause of such fraudulent attacks. While there exists some research focusing on the experiences and psychology of victims of these attacks as well as the countermeasures that can be taken to protect them from such attacks, there is little research on the psychology and motivation of those who commit online fraud. This study aims to identify the psychological factors that affect the predilection of scammers to commit online fraud.</p>

Syftet med denna rapport var att undersöka individer från olika grupper och se hur deras uppfattningar, upplevelser och vardag under Covid-19 pandemin ser ut. Med hjälp av denna förståelse var målet att applicera beteendeteorier och riskteorier relevanta till pandemin i kombination med mentala modeller. Förhoppningen med kopplingen mellan individers upplevelse samt dessa teorier var att skapa en förståelse för vilka aspekter som kan påverka smittspridning. Frågeställningarna som besvarades var:  Skiljer det sig mellan grupper hur man förhåller sig till pandemin? Om folk går emot restriktioner eller rekommendationer, hur motiveras det? Hur anser folk att de har förändrat sitt liv om man jämför före och under pandemin? Kan sociala aspekter och uppfattad risk skapa en förståelse för vilka faktorer som påverkar smittspridning? Datainsamlingsmetoden var semistrukturerade intervjuer. Analysmetoden var interpretativ fenomenologisk analys. Tre bredare teman identifierades, agerande, resonerande och förändring. Slutsatsen var att det fanns vissa skillnader mellan grupperna hur de förhåller sig till pandemin och att aktiviteter som går mot rekommendationer och restriktioner var mycket baserat på social kontext, upplevd risk och aktiviteter som deltagarna gjorde innan pandemin. Deltagarna upplevde även att de har gjort en förändring i sina liv. Social kontakt visade sig givande för att känna gemenskap, en känsla av att bidra och att få annan input. Slutligen fastställdes det att den sociala kontexten och betydelsen av den samt riskuppfattning bör vara i åtanke för att förstå smittspridning och därmed pandemin. / The aim of this report was to examine individuals from different groups to see how their experiences, beliefs and everyday life has been during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thereafter the aim was to evaluate the results with the help of behavioral and risk theories of relevance to the pandemic in combination with mental models. The idea with the connection between the individual experiences and these theories was to come to an understanding about which aspects affect the spread of the virus. The study was based on the following research questions: Is there a difference between groups how they have adapted to the pandemic? If people go against recommendations and restrictions, how do they motivate that? In what way do people feel they have made a change during the pandemic? Can social aspects and perceived risk create an understanding of which factors affect the spreading of the virus? The data was collected via semi structured interviews. The analysis was made with an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three overarching themes were identified, how the participants act, how they reason, and how they have changed. The conclusion made from the study was that there were some differences between groups how they have adapted to the pandemic and that the motivations behind the activities which were against recommendations and restrictions were largely based on social context, perceived risk and activities the participants were doing before the pandemic. The participants also felt they had made changes to their lives. Social contact was shown to be important to feel a sense of belonging, a feeling of contributing and to get different input. Finally, the conclusion was drawn that social context and perceived risk should be considered to understand the spreading of the virus and thereby the pandemic.

Studiens huvudsakliga syfte är att undersöka svenska konsumenters förhållningssätt, kännedom och informationssökning om kemikalier i kosmetiska produkter samt hur utbrett fenomenet kemofobi, den irrationella rädslan för kemikalier är. Framförallt har en kvantitativ ansats tillämpats i studiedesignen. Empirin samlades in med en webbaserad enkät som besvarades av 221 personer. Sociala bakgrundsfaktorer har ställts mot huvudvariablerna för att upptäcka möjliga samband. Respondenternas svar redovisas i resultatet med tabeller och grafer och jämförs sedan med en rad olika tidigare studier inom ämnet. Vårt resultat ger en indikation för förhållningssätten bland kvinnor, personer i medelåldern och högutbildade eftersom detta var den mest övervägande gruppen av våra respondenter. Resultatet indikerar på att det finns både en medelnivå av kemofobi och toxikologisk kunskap hos respondenterna. Det finns en negativ förknippning till begreppet kemikalier och riskmedvetenheten av kosmetiska produkter är inte speciellt utbredd. Sedan framgick även att informationssökningen kring innehållet i kosmetika är komplex då innehållsförteckningen som tillhandahålls till konsumenter är bristfällig i att kommunicera risker på ett lättförståeligt sätt. Därför behöver riskkommunikationen ses över för kosmetiska produkter men även att de ska riskbedömas och märkas likt andra produkter utan något undantag i kemikalieregleringen. Detta är ytterst viktigt för att säkerställa medvetna inköpsval och skydd av hälsa och miljö. / This study’s main purpose is to investigate Swedish consumers’ approaches, knowledge and how they search for information concerning chemicals in cosmetics as well as how widespread the phenomenon chemophobia, the irrational fear of chemicals, is. A mainly quantitative approach has been applied in the design of the study. Empirical data was collected with a web-based survey resulting in 221 respondents. Sociodemographic factors were connected to the main variables with the purpose of discovering possible correlations. The answers from the respondents are presented in the result with tables and graphs and then compared with several different studies on the subject. Our result indicates the views among women, middle-aged and people with higher education due to this being the most prevalent group of our respondents. The result indicates that there is a medium level of both chemophobia and toxicological knowledge among the respondents.There is a negative association with the word chemicals and the risk awareness for cosmetic products are not that widespread. Furthermore, it appeared that the information search concerning the contents of cosmetics are complex because the table of content that is provided to consumers is lacking in communicating risks in an understandable manner. Therefore, the risk communication concerning cosmetics should be evaluated and the products should also undergo the same risk assessments and labelling equal to other consumer products without exceptions in regulation. This is of outmost importance to ensure conscious purchasing behaviour and protection of health and the environment.