Keeping the home fires burning: The affect heuristic and wood smoke pollution

Abstract

This study examined the role of affect and risk perceptions in maintaining wood burning behavior in 256 residents of a small Australian city characterized by high levels of winter wood smoke pollution. Our analyses revealed that users of wood heaters, relative to non-users, had more positive affective associations with wood heating, perceived fewer health risks from wood smoke, and exhibited less support for wood smoke control policies. Moderation analyses revealed that the predictive effects of risk perceptions on policy support and switching behavior were weaker for respondents who had more positive affective associations with wood heating and stronger for those with more negative affective associations. Theoretical implications relating to the role of affect in decision-making are discussed, together with practical implications for developing more effective interventions to reduce wood smoke pollution.