The development of reactions of the public to warning and emergency situations in France, Greece, and the Netherlands.

This article describes the different reactions to emergency warning messages among residents living within a 3-km radius of a hazardous chemical complex and by people living at least 10 km from an industrial site in France, Greece, and the Netherlands. Belief in warning, primary and secondary appraisal, emotional response, and adherence to normal routine were assessed by conducting face-to-face interviews in which a four-phase scenario simulating a credible industrial accident was presented. The results showed that respondents who did not reside in the neighborhood of the hazardous site were, in general, more inclined to trust the warning messages than respondents who resided in the neighborhood were. With the exception of primary appraisal, the warning phases evoked very distinct reactions in the respondents from all three countries with regard to warning belief, secondary appraisal, emotional response, and adherence to normal routine.     

Gender-specific reactions to environmental hazards in the Netherlands

In this study differences in appraisal, feelings of insecurity, and ways of coping were assessed between men and women, and related to their level of formal education. The sample consisted of 513 men and women who responded to a mailed questionnaire dealing with the hazards of living in an estate with soil pollution, near a chemical plant, or in the vicinity of a planned site for the storage of radioactive waste. The results show that women assess the hazards as more unacceptable and threatening, and report more feelings of insecurity than men. A number of possible explanations is reviewed.     

Maternal prenatal stress and 4-6 year old children's salivary cortisol concentrations pre- and post-vaccination

In this study influences of maternal prenatal stress on the cortisol reactions of children to a vaccination were determined. Prenatal stress at around 16 weeks of gestation was measured through questionnaires and a cortisol day curve. Cortisol reactions were determined preceding and following the vaccination. A total of 24 children (age between 3.11 and 5.9 years, mean age 4.9 years) and their mothers participated in this study. Multilevel analysis (hierarchical linear modelling) was used to analyze the data. Children of mothers who had higher concentrations of morning cortisol during pregnancy had higher concentrations of cortisol as compared to children of mothers who had lower concentrations of morning cortisol. Furthermore, more daily hassles and a higher level of fear of bearing a handicapped child during pregnancy were associated with higher concentrations of cortisol in the children.     

Does Maternal Prenatal Stress Adversely Affect the Child’s Learning and Memory at Age Six?

Prenatal maternal stress has been shown to affect postnatal development in animals and humans. In animals, the morphology and function of the offspring’s hippocampus is negatively affected by prenatal maternal stress. The present study prospectively investigated the influence of prenatal maternal stress on learning and memory of 112 children (50 boys, 62 girls, Age: M=6.7 years, SD=8.4 months), with the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL). Maternal stress levels were determined three times during pregnancy by self-report questionnaires. Furthermore, maternal saliva cortisol samples were used as a measure of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Results of hierarchical multivariate regression analyses showed that maternal life events measured during the first part of pregnancy were negatively associated with the child’s attention/concentration index, while controlling for overall IQ, gender, and postnatal stress. No associations were found between prenatal maternal cortisol and the offspring’s learning and memory.     

Risk Appraisal and Risk Communication: Some Empirical Data From The Netherlands Reviewed

A discrepancy is observed between the general public's subjective perception 'of environmental hazards, which is characterized by feelings of concern and insecurity, and "objective risk." In this article, theoretical notions about subjective risk perception are reviewed and illustrated with (our own) Dutch research. Our work with respect to environmental hazards is very much inspired by Bandura's social-cognitive theory and his concept of self-efficacy. In this article, research is described that focuses particularly on the role of u self-efficacy in relation to risk perception and behavior, mass media versus Direct experiences with risks, and risk communication processes, illustrating the application of Bandura's notions in the field, of environmental hazards. Results of out studies show, for example, more feelings of insecurity and fear in women, in individuals with a "left-Wing" political preference, and in people highly exposed to mass-media reporting about hazards. People living in the direct vicinity of a large hazardous complex, however, reported feeling less insecure than did people living at a large distance. This last effect is explained by a verification process in which mass-media reports are more likely to be rejected and ignored by direct neighbors of hazardous industrial plants. Finally, consequences for risk communication are discussed.     

Does maternal prenatal stress adversely affect the child's learning and memory at age six?

Prenatal maternal stress has been shown to affect postnatal development in animals and humans. In animals, the morphology and function of the offspring's hippocampus is negatively affected by prenatal maternal stress. The present study prospectively investigated the influence of prenatal maternal stress on learning and memory of 112 children (50 boys, 62 girls, Age: M=6.7 years, SD=8.4 months), with the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL). Maternal stress levels were determined three times during pregnancy by self-report questionnaires. Furthermore, maternal saliva cortisol samples were used as a measure of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Results of hierarchical multivariate regression analyses showed that maternal life events measured during the first part of pregnancy were negatively associated with the child's attention/concentration index, while controlling for overall IQ, gender, and postnatal stress. No associations were found between prenatal maternal cortisol and the offspring's learning and memory.