Perception of flood risk in Danube Delta,Romania |
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| Authors: | Iuliana Arma? Eugen Avram |
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| Institution: | (1) Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Balcescu 1, Sect. 1, Bucharest, Romania;(2) Faculty of Psychology, University of Bucharest, Panduri 90, Sect. 5, Bucharest, Romania |
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| Abstract: | For exposed and vulnerable communities, the perception of natural risk is an essential link in the analysis of man–environment
coping relationship and also an important parameter in the quantification of complex vulnerability as a central predictive
variable in the risk equation. The topic of flood risk in related perception is of considerable interest, as some recently
published papers have proven (Messner and Meyer 2005, 2006; Raaijmakers et al. 2008). The aim of the current study is to reveal the conscious and unconscious attitudes towards the flood risk for the inhabitants
of the Danube Delta/Romania. These attitudes, defined by different degrees of psychological vulnerability, represent the background
for a series of psycho-behavioural patterns that generate certain adjustment mechanisms and strategies. Application of a specially
designed questionnaire and the statistical analysis of the results revealed two psychological factors as essential in establishing
the psychosocial vulnerability degree of the interviewed subjects: (i) an internal control factor and (ii) an external control
factor. The persons characterized by inner control have a significantly reduced general anxiety level in comparison to individuals
with the control factor placed externally. As confidence diminishes, it increases the tendency of the individual to rely on
the external factors for support and security. The lack of resources (indicating lower resilience) and mistrust in the support
given emphasizes non-adaptive behaviours.
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| Keywords: | Natural hazards perception Vulnerability Cognitive dissonance |
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