Sebastian Seebauer | University of Graz (original) (raw)
Papers by Sebastian Seebauer
Theory and Decision, 2014
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016
A transition towards renewable energy production is one proposed solution as one means of reducin... more A transition towards renewable energy production is one proposed solution as one means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this regard, photovoltaic citizen participation initiatives are a cornerstone in fostering the diffusion of renewables allowing for active citizen engagement. This article investigates the drivers behind people’s decision to participate in two selected Austrian citizen participation initiatives in the field of photovoltaics based on a survey of 870 (potential) adopters. In addition to commonly used indicators, variables assessing both – people’s desires, (their goals or ‘preferences’ with respect to energy autonomy, environmental protection, financial aspects, etc.), and their beliefs (how likely they think their participation in a citizen participation initiative in the field of photovoltaics will help them achieve these goals) are also included in the analysis. The findings show that people’s desires are not decisive in deciding on PV participation, and that financial beliefs are the main driver behind joining such an initiative. This focus on financial gain clearly poses a risk in any attempted transition towards renewable energy production, as it indicates that adopters may withdraw from participation as soon as a more attractive investment opportunity becomes available. It also indicates that subsidized feed-in tariffs are likely to be essential in any long-term transition policy.
Environment and Behavior, 1-35, 2016
Studies on environmental behavior commonly assume single respondents to represent their entire ho... more Studies on environmental behavior commonly assume single respondents to represent their entire household or employ proxy-reporting, where participants answer for other household members. It is contested whether these practices yield valid results. Therefore, we interviewed 84 couples, wherein both household members provided self- and proxy-reports for their partner. For use of electrical household appliances, consumption of hot water, space heating, everyday mobility, and environmental values, many variables fail to achieve criteria for validity. Consistency (agreement between self-reports of household members) is higher if behaviors are undertaken jointly or negotiated between partners. Accuracy (agreement of proxy-reports with corresponding self-reports) is higher for routine behaviors and for behaviors easily observable by the partner. Overall, indices perform better than items on single behaviors. We caution against employing individual responses in place of the entire household. Interventions for energy conservation should approach the specific person undertaking the target behavior.
Futures, 78, 57-70, 2016
Photovoltaic citizen participation initiatives (CPIs) receive increasing attention as a form of s... more Photovoltaic citizen participation initiatives (CPIs) receive increasing attention as a form of social innovation, contributing to a sustainable decentralized energy future. However, their ability to outgrow a protected niche characterized by feed-in tariffs, to regime level, is unclear. Drawing on qualitative interviews with key actors, the present study classifies Austrian CPIs in terms of them being market-based (profit-oriented business) or grassroots initiatives (civil-society based community activism), and compares these two types with respect to the three key processes of strategic niche management: actor network formation, learning, and expectations management. Market-based CPIs exhibit a relatively heterogeneous external actor network. They follow a policy of business development, engage in highly professionalized learning, and access a large, widespread customer base. In contrast, grassroots CPIs leverage a tightly-knit network of local actors, engage in informal learning and shared expectations. In some CPIs, market-based and grassroots motivations converge. Both types seem capable of achieving regime level, either through individual growth or by aggregation of multiple small-scale initiatives. As yet, few CPIs have outgrown their local niche status. This is mainly due to a lack of intermediary actors which may institutionalize knowledge and resources to support the foundation of new CPIs.
Disaster Prevention and Management, 25(3), 298-313, 2016
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the benefits of organized voluntary emergency se... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the benefits of organized voluntary emergency services (OVES) in the case of flood events, since such information is mostly not available, but needed
to analyze the total effects of disasters and respective responses. Moreover, the efficient allocation of scarce public resources for emergency and risk management should be based on empirical data.
Design/methodology/approach – Based on a qualitative framework describing the benefits of OVES, the authors develop different tools for monetizing tangible as well as intangible benefits and apply them for case studies in Austria.
Findings – The benefits of volunteer efforts for emergency management cannot be monetized easily, since they are often of intangible character. Nevertheless, we show that the benefits of OVES could be substantial.
Research limitations/implications – As the authors analyze case studies, the results cannot be directly transferred to other regions, but illustrate the empirical dimension of the benefits of OVES. Further research should be undertaken to assess the benefits of avoided losses by OVES using single-object data.
Practical implications – Since many emergency service institutions are involved during/after natural hazards, data availability and exchange should be improved. Objective decisions for investment in emergency services should be based on data of recent hazard events and case studies.
Originality/value – The paper develops a toolbox to evaluate the benefits of OVES and is thus highly
valuable for emergency managers, which are responsible for deploying volunteers and non-volunteers
in emergency management.
Energy Efficiency, 2016
Previous research often regard household and individual as synonymous actors, although the overal... more Previous research often regard household and individual as synonymous actors, although the overall household electricity consumption is the aggregate of diverging actions by individual household members.We disentangle the impact of actor-specific predictors on household and individual electricity consumption, employing regression models to data of 204 Austrian multi-person households. Predictors add more to the explained variance of household and individual electricity consumption if they are located at the same actor level as the dependent variable. While household electricity consumption is best predicted by the household context and value/knowledge factors, individual electricity consumption depends foremost on habit and whether a person stays at home during the day. The study exemplifies that future research and interventions need to decompose actor levels to better understand and target the drivers of private electricity consumption. Methodological challenges in measuring individual and household consumption behaviour are discussed.
Impacts of flooding are expected to increase, most notably in residential areas. As a consequence... more Impacts of flooding are expected to increase, most notably in residential areas. As a consequence, private households are increasingly encouraged to engage in private flood mitigation complementary to public measures. Despite the growing literature on private flood mitigation, little is known about how social capital influences households’ perception of and coping with flood risks. This study
draws on survey data of 226 flood-prone households in two Austrian Alpine municipalities, both recently affected by riverine flooding. We show that social capital cuts both ways: on the positive side, social capital increases perceived self-efficacy and provides critical support during and most notably after flood events. On the negative side, social capital reduces flood risk perceptions of private households. While social ties are effective when responding to and recovering from floods, the expectation of social support downplays risk, making precautionary action by households less likely. The results also show that flood-affected households receive more social support than they provide to others. In the long-run, this can lead to a problematic reciprocity imbalance, challenging the long-term stability of the interpersonal exchanges underlying social capital. Among the various sources of social support, informal social networks (neighbours, friends and relatives) provide the most important workforce in the response and recovery phase of a flood event. It is therefore crucial for flood risk
management to recognise and promote the protective quality of social capital alongside conventional structural and non-structural measures.
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 60, 498-510, 2015
Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) provide comprehensive trip information for all modes... more Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) provide comprehensive trip information for all modes of transport while considering the current traffic situation; however, impacts on travel choices are weak, which might be due to insufficient consideration of user characteristics. As a critical determinant of willingness to use, we propose and validate technophilia, an openness, interest and fascination towards information and communication technologies.
Drawing on data from a survey of 1300 Austrians, we describe willingness to use ATIS, and delineate target groups by socio-demographic characteristics.We establish validity of a technophilia
measure consisting of seven survey questions. All questions constitute a common factor (construct validity). The technophilia measure can be distinguished from social norms and general technology-related values (discriminant validity). Technophilia is more pronounced among men, younger people, individuals with higher education and persons who
frequently use the Internet for travel information or who frequently use an in-car navigation system. Among a range of potential determinants, technophilia is verified as an independent determinant of willingness to use ATIS (criterion validity).
The results suggest to pay particular attention to the technophilia dimension in ATIS user requirements. Technophiles may advocate ATIS in their social network. The applied seven questions provide a short and valid scale of technophilia which may contribute to customer
segmentation or to explaining the acceptance of traveler information.
Maria Deweis, Umweltbundesamt Satz/Layout Elisabeth Riss, Umweltbundesamt Umschlagphoto © Bernhar... more Maria Deweis, Umweltbundesamt Satz/Layout Elisabeth Riss, Umweltbundesamt Umschlagphoto © Bernhard Gröger/Umweltbundesamt Dank Wir bedanken uns herzlich bei allen Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern für die wertvollen Anregungen und fachlichen Inputs im Rahmen der Workshops sowie bei allen Expertinnen und Experten, die uns in Arbeitsgesprächen mit ihrem Fachwissen unterstützt haben. Dieses Dokument wurde im Zuge des Projekts VOICE erstellt und aus Mitteln des Klima-und Energiefonds (Forschungsprogramm ACRP) gefördert. Der Projektname VOICE bedeutet in seiner Langform: Voluntary Work in Disaster Management -Challenges for Adaptation to Climate Change. Zitiervorschlag: Balas, M.; Glas, N.; Seebauer, S.; Liehr, C.; Pfurtscheller, C.; Fordinal, I. & Babcicky, P. (2015): Freiwilligenengagement in der Zukunft! Maßnahmen für die langfristige Absicherung der Freiwilligenarbeit im Katastrophenschutz. Gefördert durch den Klima-und Energiefonds. Wien. ISBN 978-3-99004-340-0 Weitere Informationen zu Umweltbundesamt-Publikationen unter: http://www.umweltbundesamt.at/ Impressum
Knowledge is considered a precondition for behaviour (Stern 2000): Only if someone has basic know... more Knowledge is considered a precondition for behaviour (Stern 2000): Only if someone has basic knowledge about timetables, ticket prices and route networks, he is able to access public transport. Common policy measures such as mobility counselling or internet-based traveller information systems therefore aim for a modal shift by providing trip-specific information. In contrast, the impact of knowledge on behaviour has emerged to be weak (Kaiser & Fuhrer 2003). Knowledge is interrelated with other behavioural determinants in that habits influence the acquisition of information (Fujii & Gärling 2003) and knowledge regarding environmental problems effects behaviour indirectly via personal norms (Matthies 2005). Moreover, there are some hints at divergences between the depth of information a person believes to have (subjective knowledge) and actually has (objective knowledge; Preisendörfer & Diekmann 2000). This presentation aims to shed light on the role of knowledge for the choice of sh...
1 ABSTRACT Advanced traveller information systems (ATIS) are online door-to-door trip planners th... more 1 ABSTRACT Advanced traveller information systems (ATIS) are online door-to-door trip planners that compare transport modes and routes under consideration of current and future traffic conditions. Sophisticated systems have been implemented in the last years, but focused rather on technological features than on barriers and preferences of specific target groups. Therefore, the modal shift from the car to other modes of transport anticipated by the provision of comprehensive travel information has not been proven yet. Preliminary results of a recent survey of n=1300 people representative for the Austrian population show that few people are familiar with ATIS. Intentions for using ATIS are generally low, although slightly higher for non-routine trips. Younger persons and employed persons without a personal car currently use the internet and in-vehicle navigation devices more often for obtaining travel information and state higher willingness to use ATIS than other population groups. H...
Private households in Austria face increasing risks from heavy precipitation and flooding, as mor... more Private households in Austria face increasing risks from heavy precipitation and flooding, as more frequent and more severe extreme weather events can be expected due to climate change, and as settlements expand in risk-prone areas. While the o ptions for government-driven action protecting entire residential areas are well-known, there is v ery limited knowledge on complementary efforts of the private sector, as a potential relief for pu blic budgets. The study presents empirical data in how far Austrian households engage in autonomous adaptive action. Precautionary measures of technical investm ents in retrofit flood-proofing of buildings and taking out insurance are compared to leveraging help from volunteer emergency organizations or neighbours when responding to the flood event. Action prior to the event is contrasted to intentions for the following years. Postal questionnaires were distributed in three Austrian municipalities affected by flooding in 2011 and 2013, resulting in...
Der Nahverkehr, 3/2010, 51-53, 2010
Voluntary emergency and relief services, such as fire brigades or rescue organisations, form the ... more Voluntary emergency and relief services, such as fire brigades or rescue organisations, form the backbone of disaster management in most of European countries. In Austria, disaster management relies on the cooperation between governmental and non-governmental institutions: Where a disaster occurs, the volunteer organizations act as auxiliaries to the responsible disaster management authority. The assessment of costs and benefits of these emergency services is a crucial component of risk and disaster management strategies, since public means are getting scarcer and these costs can reach critical levels for low-income municipalities. As extreme events and emergency operations are likely to increase due to climate change, the efficient allocation of public budgets for risk and disaster management becomes more important. Hence, both, the costs and the benefits must be known, but voluntary and professional work is hardly documented and assessed comprehensively. Whereas the costs of emerg...
Psychologie in Österreich, 2/2015, 116-125, 2015
Humans are permanently interacting with their environment. On the one hand, human behaviour and p... more Humans are permanently interacting with their environment. On the one hand, human behaviour and perception are influenced by the environment. On the other hand, humans shape their environment with their actions. The application of theories and methods from environmental psychology is crucial for creating sustainable and satisfying living spaces in various fields, like in housing, work environments, mobility or spatial and urban planning. In this article we provide an overview of environmental psychology in Austria by introducing recent and ongoing research projects. Based on the presented topics, we demonstrate the importance of this domain in practice and research, and claim emphasizing the domain’s relevance in practice and academia.
Internationales Verkehrswesen, 64 (4), 51-53, 2012
'And with the Corybantes ye shall dance, says Sophocles', according to Plutarch, should the reade... more 'And with the Corybantes ye shall dance, says Sophocles', according to Plutarch, should the reader be affected by the ἐνθουσιασμός βακχείος. 2 In this article, we will take a closer look at the phenomenon of maenadismaltered states of consciousness in the ancient world triggered by religious ritualsfrom the perspective of ancient Greek texts. To this end, we apply content analysis, a method used in the social sciences for coding unstructured text into key categories.
Theory and Decision, 2014
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016
A transition towards renewable energy production is one proposed solution as one means of reducin... more A transition towards renewable energy production is one proposed solution as one means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this regard, photovoltaic citizen participation initiatives are a cornerstone in fostering the diffusion of renewables allowing for active citizen engagement. This article investigates the drivers behind people’s decision to participate in two selected Austrian citizen participation initiatives in the field of photovoltaics based on a survey of 870 (potential) adopters. In addition to commonly used indicators, variables assessing both – people’s desires, (their goals or ‘preferences’ with respect to energy autonomy, environmental protection, financial aspects, etc.), and their beliefs (how likely they think their participation in a citizen participation initiative in the field of photovoltaics will help them achieve these goals) are also included in the analysis. The findings show that people’s desires are not decisive in deciding on PV participation, and that financial beliefs are the main driver behind joining such an initiative. This focus on financial gain clearly poses a risk in any attempted transition towards renewable energy production, as it indicates that adopters may withdraw from participation as soon as a more attractive investment opportunity becomes available. It also indicates that subsidized feed-in tariffs are likely to be essential in any long-term transition policy.
Environment and Behavior, 1-35, 2016
Studies on environmental behavior commonly assume single respondents to represent their entire ho... more Studies on environmental behavior commonly assume single respondents to represent their entire household or employ proxy-reporting, where participants answer for other household members. It is contested whether these practices yield valid results. Therefore, we interviewed 84 couples, wherein both household members provided self- and proxy-reports for their partner. For use of electrical household appliances, consumption of hot water, space heating, everyday mobility, and environmental values, many variables fail to achieve criteria for validity. Consistency (agreement between self-reports of household members) is higher if behaviors are undertaken jointly or negotiated between partners. Accuracy (agreement of proxy-reports with corresponding self-reports) is higher for routine behaviors and for behaviors easily observable by the partner. Overall, indices perform better than items on single behaviors. We caution against employing individual responses in place of the entire household. Interventions for energy conservation should approach the specific person undertaking the target behavior.
Futures, 78, 57-70, 2016
Photovoltaic citizen participation initiatives (CPIs) receive increasing attention as a form of s... more Photovoltaic citizen participation initiatives (CPIs) receive increasing attention as a form of social innovation, contributing to a sustainable decentralized energy future. However, their ability to outgrow a protected niche characterized by feed-in tariffs, to regime level, is unclear. Drawing on qualitative interviews with key actors, the present study classifies Austrian CPIs in terms of them being market-based (profit-oriented business) or grassroots initiatives (civil-society based community activism), and compares these two types with respect to the three key processes of strategic niche management: actor network formation, learning, and expectations management. Market-based CPIs exhibit a relatively heterogeneous external actor network. They follow a policy of business development, engage in highly professionalized learning, and access a large, widespread customer base. In contrast, grassroots CPIs leverage a tightly-knit network of local actors, engage in informal learning and shared expectations. In some CPIs, market-based and grassroots motivations converge. Both types seem capable of achieving regime level, either through individual growth or by aggregation of multiple small-scale initiatives. As yet, few CPIs have outgrown their local niche status. This is mainly due to a lack of intermediary actors which may institutionalize knowledge and resources to support the foundation of new CPIs.
Disaster Prevention and Management, 25(3), 298-313, 2016
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the benefits of organized voluntary emergency se... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reveal the benefits of organized voluntary emergency services (OVES) in the case of flood events, since such information is mostly not available, but needed
to analyze the total effects of disasters and respective responses. Moreover, the efficient allocation of scarce public resources for emergency and risk management should be based on empirical data.
Design/methodology/approach – Based on a qualitative framework describing the benefits of OVES, the authors develop different tools for monetizing tangible as well as intangible benefits and apply them for case studies in Austria.
Findings – The benefits of volunteer efforts for emergency management cannot be monetized easily, since they are often of intangible character. Nevertheless, we show that the benefits of OVES could be substantial.
Research limitations/implications – As the authors analyze case studies, the results cannot be directly transferred to other regions, but illustrate the empirical dimension of the benefits of OVES. Further research should be undertaken to assess the benefits of avoided losses by OVES using single-object data.
Practical implications – Since many emergency service institutions are involved during/after natural hazards, data availability and exchange should be improved. Objective decisions for investment in emergency services should be based on data of recent hazard events and case studies.
Originality/value – The paper develops a toolbox to evaluate the benefits of OVES and is thus highly
valuable for emergency managers, which are responsible for deploying volunteers and non-volunteers
in emergency management.
Energy Efficiency, 2016
Previous research often regard household and individual as synonymous actors, although the overal... more Previous research often regard household and individual as synonymous actors, although the overall household electricity consumption is the aggregate of diverging actions by individual household members.We disentangle the impact of actor-specific predictors on household and individual electricity consumption, employing regression models to data of 204 Austrian multi-person households. Predictors add more to the explained variance of household and individual electricity consumption if they are located at the same actor level as the dependent variable. While household electricity consumption is best predicted by the household context and value/knowledge factors, individual electricity consumption depends foremost on habit and whether a person stays at home during the day. The study exemplifies that future research and interventions need to decompose actor levels to better understand and target the drivers of private electricity consumption. Methodological challenges in measuring individual and household consumption behaviour are discussed.
Impacts of flooding are expected to increase, most notably in residential areas. As a consequence... more Impacts of flooding are expected to increase, most notably in residential areas. As a consequence, private households are increasingly encouraged to engage in private flood mitigation complementary to public measures. Despite the growing literature on private flood mitigation, little is known about how social capital influences households’ perception of and coping with flood risks. This study
draws on survey data of 226 flood-prone households in two Austrian Alpine municipalities, both recently affected by riverine flooding. We show that social capital cuts both ways: on the positive side, social capital increases perceived self-efficacy and provides critical support during and most notably after flood events. On the negative side, social capital reduces flood risk perceptions of private households. While social ties are effective when responding to and recovering from floods, the expectation of social support downplays risk, making precautionary action by households less likely. The results also show that flood-affected households receive more social support than they provide to others. In the long-run, this can lead to a problematic reciprocity imbalance, challenging the long-term stability of the interpersonal exchanges underlying social capital. Among the various sources of social support, informal social networks (neighbours, friends and relatives) provide the most important workforce in the response and recovery phase of a flood event. It is therefore crucial for flood risk
management to recognise and promote the protective quality of social capital alongside conventional structural and non-structural measures.
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 60, 498-510, 2015
Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) provide comprehensive trip information for all modes... more Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) provide comprehensive trip information for all modes of transport while considering the current traffic situation; however, impacts on travel choices are weak, which might be due to insufficient consideration of user characteristics. As a critical determinant of willingness to use, we propose and validate technophilia, an openness, interest and fascination towards information and communication technologies.
Drawing on data from a survey of 1300 Austrians, we describe willingness to use ATIS, and delineate target groups by socio-demographic characteristics.We establish validity of a technophilia
measure consisting of seven survey questions. All questions constitute a common factor (construct validity). The technophilia measure can be distinguished from social norms and general technology-related values (discriminant validity). Technophilia is more pronounced among men, younger people, individuals with higher education and persons who
frequently use the Internet for travel information or who frequently use an in-car navigation system. Among a range of potential determinants, technophilia is verified as an independent determinant of willingness to use ATIS (criterion validity).
The results suggest to pay particular attention to the technophilia dimension in ATIS user requirements. Technophiles may advocate ATIS in their social network. The applied seven questions provide a short and valid scale of technophilia which may contribute to customer
segmentation or to explaining the acceptance of traveler information.
Maria Deweis, Umweltbundesamt Satz/Layout Elisabeth Riss, Umweltbundesamt Umschlagphoto © Bernhar... more Maria Deweis, Umweltbundesamt Satz/Layout Elisabeth Riss, Umweltbundesamt Umschlagphoto © Bernhard Gröger/Umweltbundesamt Dank Wir bedanken uns herzlich bei allen Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern für die wertvollen Anregungen und fachlichen Inputs im Rahmen der Workshops sowie bei allen Expertinnen und Experten, die uns in Arbeitsgesprächen mit ihrem Fachwissen unterstützt haben. Dieses Dokument wurde im Zuge des Projekts VOICE erstellt und aus Mitteln des Klima-und Energiefonds (Forschungsprogramm ACRP) gefördert. Der Projektname VOICE bedeutet in seiner Langform: Voluntary Work in Disaster Management -Challenges for Adaptation to Climate Change. Zitiervorschlag: Balas, M.; Glas, N.; Seebauer, S.; Liehr, C.; Pfurtscheller, C.; Fordinal, I. & Babcicky, P. (2015): Freiwilligenengagement in der Zukunft! Maßnahmen für die langfristige Absicherung der Freiwilligenarbeit im Katastrophenschutz. Gefördert durch den Klima-und Energiefonds. Wien. ISBN 978-3-99004-340-0 Weitere Informationen zu Umweltbundesamt-Publikationen unter: http://www.umweltbundesamt.at/ Impressum
Knowledge is considered a precondition for behaviour (Stern 2000): Only if someone has basic know... more Knowledge is considered a precondition for behaviour (Stern 2000): Only if someone has basic knowledge about timetables, ticket prices and route networks, he is able to access public transport. Common policy measures such as mobility counselling or internet-based traveller information systems therefore aim for a modal shift by providing trip-specific information. In contrast, the impact of knowledge on behaviour has emerged to be weak (Kaiser & Fuhrer 2003). Knowledge is interrelated with other behavioural determinants in that habits influence the acquisition of information (Fujii & Gärling 2003) and knowledge regarding environmental problems effects behaviour indirectly via personal norms (Matthies 2005). Moreover, there are some hints at divergences between the depth of information a person believes to have (subjective knowledge) and actually has (objective knowledge; Preisendörfer & Diekmann 2000). This presentation aims to shed light on the role of knowledge for the choice of sh...
1 ABSTRACT Advanced traveller information systems (ATIS) are online door-to-door trip planners th... more 1 ABSTRACT Advanced traveller information systems (ATIS) are online door-to-door trip planners that compare transport modes and routes under consideration of current and future traffic conditions. Sophisticated systems have been implemented in the last years, but focused rather on technological features than on barriers and preferences of specific target groups. Therefore, the modal shift from the car to other modes of transport anticipated by the provision of comprehensive travel information has not been proven yet. Preliminary results of a recent survey of n=1300 people representative for the Austrian population show that few people are familiar with ATIS. Intentions for using ATIS are generally low, although slightly higher for non-routine trips. Younger persons and employed persons without a personal car currently use the internet and in-vehicle navigation devices more often for obtaining travel information and state higher willingness to use ATIS than other population groups. H...
Private households in Austria face increasing risks from heavy precipitation and flooding, as mor... more Private households in Austria face increasing risks from heavy precipitation and flooding, as more frequent and more severe extreme weather events can be expected due to climate change, and as settlements expand in risk-prone areas. While the o ptions for government-driven action protecting entire residential areas are well-known, there is v ery limited knowledge on complementary efforts of the private sector, as a potential relief for pu blic budgets. The study presents empirical data in how far Austrian households engage in autonomous adaptive action. Precautionary measures of technical investm ents in retrofit flood-proofing of buildings and taking out insurance are compared to leveraging help from volunteer emergency organizations or neighbours when responding to the flood event. Action prior to the event is contrasted to intentions for the following years. Postal questionnaires were distributed in three Austrian municipalities affected by flooding in 2011 and 2013, resulting in...
Der Nahverkehr, 3/2010, 51-53, 2010
Voluntary emergency and relief services, such as fire brigades or rescue organisations, form the ... more Voluntary emergency and relief services, such as fire brigades or rescue organisations, form the backbone of disaster management in most of European countries. In Austria, disaster management relies on the cooperation between governmental and non-governmental institutions: Where a disaster occurs, the volunteer organizations act as auxiliaries to the responsible disaster management authority. The assessment of costs and benefits of these emergency services is a crucial component of risk and disaster management strategies, since public means are getting scarcer and these costs can reach critical levels for low-income municipalities. As extreme events and emergency operations are likely to increase due to climate change, the efficient allocation of public budgets for risk and disaster management becomes more important. Hence, both, the costs and the benefits must be known, but voluntary and professional work is hardly documented and assessed comprehensively. Whereas the costs of emerg...
Psychologie in Österreich, 2/2015, 116-125, 2015
Humans are permanently interacting with their environment. On the one hand, human behaviour and p... more Humans are permanently interacting with their environment. On the one hand, human behaviour and perception are influenced by the environment. On the other hand, humans shape their environment with their actions. The application of theories and methods from environmental psychology is crucial for creating sustainable and satisfying living spaces in various fields, like in housing, work environments, mobility or spatial and urban planning. In this article we provide an overview of environmental psychology in Austria by introducing recent and ongoing research projects. Based on the presented topics, we demonstrate the importance of this domain in practice and research, and claim emphasizing the domain’s relevance in practice and academia.
Internationales Verkehrswesen, 64 (4), 51-53, 2012
'And with the Corybantes ye shall dance, says Sophocles', according to Plutarch, should the reade... more 'And with the Corybantes ye shall dance, says Sophocles', according to Plutarch, should the reader be affected by the ἐνθουσιασμός βακχείος. 2 In this article, we will take a closer look at the phenomenon of maenadismaltered states of consciousness in the ancient world triggered by religious ritualsfrom the perspective of ancient Greek texts. To this end, we apply content analysis, a method used in the social sciences for coding unstructured text into key categories.