Course - Risk Perception and Risk Communication - PSY8002
Risk Perception and Risk Communication
About
About the course
Course content
Risk Perception has become an influential and internationally reputed research area. Its basis is related to the discussion on "social acceptance" in the 1970s. The research area has gradually developed into a multi-disciplinary field which has contributed greatly to the understanding and developing of communication about risk and hazard. The field of psychology is regarded as a central contributor to the discipline, which also includes contributions from other social sciences and the arts, as well as science and technology. Risk Communication focuses on prevention. The understanding of communication processes and the improving of information and communication related to risk and hazards are central themes. Lectures and seminars will provide insight into chosen historical and current literature. The course literature includes approximately 700 pages. The exam course paper may be written in Norwegian, a Scandinavian language or in English and should be based on 300 pages of self-selected literature from the research area. The course is taught in English.
Learning outcome
Knowledge:
The participant...
- shall have knowledge about the contribution of psychology and other research areas relevant to the fields of risk perception and risk communication.
- shall have knowledge about ethical issues related to risk research and risk evaluations.
- shall have knowledge about rules and expectations related to public participation processes.
Skills:
The participant...
- shall have sufficient knowledge in the research areas to write and publish papers for international journals.
- shall have a sufficient theoretical background to write and otherwise contribute to research applications developing core topics of the fields.
- shall be able to prepare and conduct data collections based on focus group work.
General qualifications
The participant...
- shall have a good overview of historic and current developments regarding central issues of the research areas.
- shall be able to select fruitful research topics and relevant methodological approaches for further analyses and discussions of those.
- shall be able to present research results at conferences and in international publications.
Learning methods and activities
The course is blocked into three meetings, each including lectures and seminars over two days (a total of 30 hours). The course starts after 15 February. One day will consist of focus group work in the social psychology laboratories at the Department of Psychology. The examination is based on one written course paper, which should investigate a chosen and agreed upon topic of the research area. The ideas related to the paper are to be presented orally as part of the course. The course is offered when at least 5 PhD candidates are registered.
Required previous knowledge
The primary requirement for admission is that the applicant holds a Master's degree.
Course materials
Will be presented at the start of the course.
Subject areas
- Psychology