The Psychology of Public Participation

As the public becomes more knowledgeable about environmental concerns and health risks, the issue of public participation will become more challenging. The field of risk communication is a key element in environmental clean-up programs and continues to grow rapidly. Waste management organizations must move beyond past practices of simply reassuring the public and instead work to educate and actively involve the public. This paper presents practical advice for community meetings, based on current research and the authors’ experience with the Navy's Installation Restoration program, which was developed in response to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The goal of any environmental organization's community relations program is to involve the public. This information will assist both regulators and the regulated community in accomplishing this goal. Environmental professionals should take advantage of the extensive research available regarding the psychology of public participation, which incorporates the fields of applied psychology, risk perception, and risk communication. This research is extremely useful when regulations entail right-to-know and public participation requirements.