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Background and Objectives Climate change threatens well-being and has increased the prevalence of weather-related disasters. We investigated age differences in emotional well-being among adults who had experienced hurricane-related, unavoidable stressors. Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) posits that age-related motivational shifts buffer older adults against psychological distress, whereas the strength and vulnerability integration model (SAVI) posits that unavoidable stressors are more detrimental to older adults' well-being compared to younger adults. Research Design and Methods We used existing self-report data from a life-span sample of adults (N  = 618, M age = 58.44 years, standard deviation = 16.03, 18–96 years) who resided in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. The sample was recruited in 2016 to examine the sequelae of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and contacted again after the 2017 and 2018 hurricane seasons. In 2016, participants reported their depression, anxiety, and trauma history. After the 2017–2018 hurricane seasons, participants reported their depression, post-traumatic stress, exposure to hurricane-related adversities, injuries and casualties, self-efficacy, and perceived health. Results In line with SST, older age was associated with reporting significantly fewer depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, even after controlling for exposure to hurricane-related adversities, injuries and casualties, health, self-efficacy, pre-hurricane depression, anxiety, and trauma. The association between older age and fewer depression symptoms was stronger among those who experienced hurricane-related adversities compared to those who had not, in contrast to predictions based on SAVI. Discussion and Implications We discuss the implications of age-related strengths in emotional well-being for policy and practice in the context of the ongoing climate crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and associated social distancing increased stressors related to risk for domestic conflict, but increases in domestic conflict early in the pandemic have yet to be studied in community samples. Methods: Increase in domestic conflict (verbal or physical fights) since the beginning of the pandemic was assessed in 1196 partnered and cohabitating respondents, drawn from a nationally representative sample, in May 2020. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to estimate associations of demographic characteristics and financial worry with domestic conflict. Results: An increase in domestic conflict was reported by 10.6% (95% CI: 7.7-13.4) of the sample. Domestic conflict increase was significantly associated with younger age, lower education, and financial worry. Conclusion: Increases in domestic conflict were seen in certain vulnerable groups and in those who report financial worry. Policies ensuring financial stability, particularly early in the disaster conditions, could reduce domestic conflict during continued COVID-19 conditions or other disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Melissa L. Finucane, PhD (Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, FinucanM@EastWestCenter.org); Carmit K. McMullen, PhD (Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, Oregon) 841 Making [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2005.04.006 Byline: Paul Slovic, Melissa L. Finucane, Ellen Peters, Donald G. MacGregor Keywords: Affect heuristic; Judgment; Decision making; Risk perception Abstract: This paper introduces a theoretical framework that describes the importance of affect in guiding judgments and decisions. As used here, 'affect' means the specific quality of 'goodness' or 'badness' (i) experienced as a feeling state (with or without consciousness) and (ii) demarcating a positive or negative quality of a stimulus. Affective responses occur rapidly and automatically -- note how quickly you sense the feelings associated with the stimulus word 'treasure' or the word 'hate'. We argue that reliance on such feelings can be characterized as 'the affect heuristic'. In this paper we trace the development of the affect heuristic across a variety of research paths followed by ourselves and many others. We also discuss some of the important practical implications resulting from ways that this heuristic impacts our daily lives. Author Affiliation: Decision Research Inc., 1201 Oak Street, Suite 200, Eugene, OR 97401, USA Article Note: (footnote) [star] Reprinted from Gilovich, T., Griffin, D., Kahneman, D. (Eds.), 2002. Heuristics and Biases: The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment. Cambridge University Press, New York. pp. 397-420. A[c] Cambridge University Press 2002. Reprinted with permission. Financial support for the writing of this paper was provided by the National Science Foundation under Grant SES 9876587.

The rapid globalization of the world economy has increased the need for all astute understanding of cultural differences in perceptions, values, and ways of thinking about new food technologies. In this paper, we describe how socio-psychological and cultural factors may affect public perceptions of the risk of genetically modified (GM) food. We present psychological, sociological, and anthropological research on risk perception as a framework for understanding cross-national differences in reactions to GM food. Differences in the cultural values and circumstances of people in the US, European countries, and the developing world are examined. The implications of cultural theory for risk communication and decision making about GM food are discussed and directions for future research highlighted. Keywords: Genetically modified food; Risk perception; Psychosocial and cultural factors; Genetic engineering

Objective: Population-based information on the extent of perceived need for mental health treatment and clinically significant psychological distress can help inform strategies for responding to the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A representative sample of U.S. adults, age 20 and over (N = 1,957), completed surveys in May and June 2020. Potential target populations were distinguished based on perceived need for mental health treatment and psychological distress, assessed by the Kessler-6, among those without perceived need. Populations were characterized with respect to demographic characteristics and prior mental health treatment history using logistic regression models. Results: The prevalence of perceived need for mental health treatment was 21%. Perceived need was strongly associated with pre-pandemic treatment history; compared to those with no treatment history, perceived need was dramatically higher among those in treatment when the pandemic began (OR = 53.8 95% CI 28.2–102.8) and those with pre-pandemic treatment history (OR = 9.3, 95% CI 5.1–16.8). Among the 79% who did not perceive need, moderate or greater distress was reported by 19% and was associated with younger age and Hispanic ethnicity (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.2–3.6). Conclusions: In the U.S., where mental health treatment is relatively common, mental health treatment response during the pandemic, and perhaps other crises, should target people with a history of mental health treatment. Outreach to people less likely to seek care on their own despite clinically significant distress should target Hispanic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on perceptions of risk in Australia began only recently. Typically, data from other countries were used to determine what hazards might be considered most and least risky by the Australian public. Relying on overseas data is problematic, however, because cultural contexts may influence risk perceptions. To address the paucity of data on risk perceptions in Australia, we obtained relative risk ratings for 30 hazardous technologies and activities from 40 Australian undergraduate students. The results suggested that, while there are some similarities with other countries, there are also some unique features in Australian risk perceptions. Researchers should investigate the reasons underlying similarities and differences in risk perceptions across cultures.

Patient narratives have emerged as promising vehicles for making health care more responsive by helping clinicians to better understand their patients' expectations, perceptions, or concerns and encouraging consumers to engage with information about quality. A growing number of websites incorporate patients' comments. But existing comments have fragmentary content, fail to represent less vocal patients, and can be manipulated to "manage" providers' reputations. In this article, we offer the first empirical test of the proposition that patient narratives can be elicited rigorously and reliably using a five-question protocol that can be incorporated into large-scale patient experience surveys. We tested whether elicited narratives about outpatient care are complete (report all facets of patient experience), balanced (convey an accurate mix of positive and negative events), meaningful (have a coherent storyline), and representative (draw fulsome narratives from all relevant subsets of patients). The tested protocol is strong on balance and representativeness, more mixed on completeness and meaningfulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]