We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Crisis and Risk Communication Research in Germany
Summary
This paper reviews crisis and risk communication research in Germany, examining how environmental and health risks—including those from emerging contaminants—are communicated to the public and how communication strategies influence risk perception and precautionary behavior.
Crisis and risk communication research in Germany was shaped by its history, the experiences of World War I and II, and its perceptions stimulating academic work on crisis communication in the early 1990s. Risk communication research has its roots in psychology and sociology, with an early focus on catastrophic threats and technological hazards such as the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in 1986. In the last two decades, German researchers have adopted many of the Anglo-American models and theories to study risk communication (emphasis in health and disaster communication) and crisis communication (emphasis in strategic communication). More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing manifestations of climate change (e.g., floods) have led to a growth in German risk and crisis communication research. This article presents the results of a literature review (Scopus) and discusses recent trends and examples in the field from an institutional, media, and audience perspective.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Health Literacy and Environmental Risks Focusing Air Pollution: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in Germany
Researchers surveyed health literacy related to air pollution risks in a sample of the German general population. The study found that people's understanding of environmental health risks varied based on their information sources and prior knowledge, suggesting that more targeted communication strategies are needed to help the public better understand and respond to air quality threats.
Risk governance of potential emerging risks to drinking water quality: Analysing current practices
Researchers compared how four governments (Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Minnesota) manage emerging chemical contaminants in drinking water and found that scientific evidence is rarely translated into policy in a timely or systematic way. They call for better early-warning systems and more proactive risk governance frameworks to protect public health before threats become crises.
A Risky Object? How Microplastics Are Represented in the German Media
Analysis of German print media coverage of microplastics from 2012 to 2019 found a shift from framing microplastics as a distant marine problem to a personal health risk, with the discovery of microplastics in human bodies driving increased alarm and calls for precautionary regulatory action.
Exploring public risk perceptions of microplastics: Findings from a cross‐national qualitative interview study among German and Italian citizens
Researchers conducted interviews with citizens in Germany and Italy to understand how ordinary people think about the risks of microplastics. They found that people often transferred their knowledge about large plastic pollution to microplastics, used concepts like accumulation and dose-response to reason about risks, and saw environmental and human health threats as closely connected. The study suggests that public risk perceptions of microplastics are shaped by intuitive reasoning and personal experiences rather than formal scientific knowledge.
Who worries about microplastics? The relative importance of personal values and individual risk judgements / ¿A quién le preocupan los microplásticos? La importancia relativa de los valores personales y los juicios individuales de riesgo
Researchers surveyed nearly 700 people in Norway to understand what drives public worry about microplastic pollution. They found that personal values and individual risk perceptions were the strongest predictors of concern, more so than demographic factors or general environmental attitudes. The study suggests that communication strategies about microplastic risks should account for how people personally evaluate threats rather than relying solely on scientific information.