The Home Halo Effect: how Air Quality Perception is Influenced by Place Attachment

Studies on air pollution suggest that individuals perceive their neighborhoods as less polluted than their cities, termed the “halo effect.” This effect is important because how people perceive air quality is highly correlated with whether they will develop coping strategies to reduce health risks from air pollution. We conducted 489 household surveys in two municipalities in south-central Chile, both highly polluted with smoke from wood-burning stoves, to identify differences in perception of air quality at the city, neighborhood, and household levels. We found evidence of a home halo effect even though studies show indoor pollution in these municipalities might be equal to or higher than outdoor pollution. The findings are relevant for local and central governments to improve their communication strategies, which to date have been focused on providing data about outdoor air pollution aggregated at the city level. More detailed and disaggregated information on the health risks linked to indoor air quality can improve residents’ awareness and engagement in developing protective and coping behaviors concerning air pollution.