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Emotional response to images of wind turbines: a psychophysiological study of their visual impact on the landscape
Maehr, A.M. Watts, Gregory R. Hanratty, J. Talmi, D.
Maehr, A.M.
Watts, Gregory R.
Hanratty, J.
Talmi, D.
Publication Date
2015-10
End of Embargo
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© 2015 Elsevier B.V. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Peer-Reviewed
Yes
Open Access status
Accepted for publication
2015-05-21
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Abstract
Social acceptance for wind turbines is variable, providing a challenge to the implementation of this energy source. Psychological research could contribute to the science of climate change. Here we focus on the emotional responses to the visual impact of wind turbines on the landscape, a factor which dominates attitudes towards this technology. Participants in the laboratory viewed images of turbines and other constructions (churches, pylons and power-plants) against rural scenes, and provided psychophysiological and self-report measures of their emotional reactions. We hypothesised that the emotional response to wind turbines would be more negative and intense than to control objects, and that this difference would be accentuated for turbine opponents. As predicted, the psychophysiological response to turbines was stronger than the response to churches, but did not differ from that of other industrial constructions. In contrast with predictions, turbines were rated as less aversive and more calming compared with other industrial constructions, and equivalent to churches. Supporters and non-supporters did not differ significantly from each other. We discuss how a methodology using photo manipulations and emotional self-assessments can help estimate the emotional reaction to the visual impact on the landscape at the planning stage for new wind turbine applications.
Version
Accepted Manuscript
Citation
Maehr AM, Watts GR, Hanratty J et al (2015) Emotional response to images of wind turbines: a psychophysiological study of their visual impact on the landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning. 142: 71-79.
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Article