Driver-Vehicle Interactions in 4WDs: A Theoretical Review

With the escalating number of four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles present on Australian roads, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the factors contributing to 4WD crashes. While 4WDs and other cars often differ in their performance characteristics, it is also possible that there are differences in driver-vehicle interactions which go beyond performance characteristics and relate more to social and personal perceptions. This paper reviews the theoretical approaches and concepts that may be used to understand the relationship between drivers and vehicles. It is noted that in recent sociological and psychological literature the conceptualization of driving has varied across multiple theoretical approaches. Some have constructed driving as a set of social practices, embodied dispositions, cybernetic associations and physical affordances, while other approaches have constructed the vehicle as a territory, and the vehicle as an extension of the driver (Dant, 2004; Fraine, 1999; Sheller, 2004). This review will discuss how these constructs may be applied to 4WD driver behaviour. Further, it will provide suggestions for methodology for future studies that aim to enhance knowledge of 4WD driver behaviour and the factors which contribute to 4WD crashes

Would Kitty Genovese have been murdered in Second Life? Researching the "bystander effect" using online technologies

The increasing use of online technologies, including &lsquo;virtual worlds&rsquo; such as Second Life, provides sociology with a transformed context within which to ply creative research approaches to ongoing social issues, such as the &lsquo;bystander effect&rsquo;. While the &lsquo;bystander effect&rsquo; was coined following a real-life incident, the concept has been researched primarily through laboratory-based experiments. The relationship between &lsquo;virtual&rsquo; and &lsquo;real&rsquo; world environments and human behaviours are, however, unclear and warrant careful attention and research.In this paper we outline existing literature on the applicability of computer-simulated activity to real world contexts. We consider the potential of Second Life as a research environment in which &lsquo;virtual&rsquo; and &lsquo;real&rsquo; human responses are potentially more blurred than in real-life or a laboratory setting. We describe preliminary research in which unsolicited Second Life participants faced a situation in which they could have intervened. Our findings suggest the existence of a common perception that formal regulators were close at hand, and that this contributed to the hesitation of some people to personally intervene in the fraught situation. In addition to providing another angle on the &lsquo;bystander effect&rsquo;, this research contributes to our understanding of how new technologies might enable us to conduct social research in creative ways.<br /

Damming the flow: cultural barriers to perceived ‘procedural justice’ in Wonthaggi, Victoria

&nbsp;Drier conditions in Australia have compelled governments to implement projects such as the desalination plant in the South Gippsland town of Wonthaggi. The desalination plant is still under construction, but South Gippsland is already host to wind turbines and marine protected areas, reflecting public pressure to develop renewable energy sources and conserve resources. However, all projects have been met with vocal opposition. Using the desalination project as a case study, this paper will address public concerns about a perceived lack of procedural justice in implementing such projects. Drawing on data from a pilot survey of 320 residents, we argue that procedural shortcomings of the project include inattention to past political disputes in the region and to the culturally entrenched sense of division between city and country. Attention to political and cultural histories is vital to the successful and ethical implementation of projects in regional areas

Young Aussie cowboys

&nbsp;Photograph and short article on Australian professional rodeo rider

Procedural justice and Australian environment : the case of the Wonthaggi water desalination plant

Drier conditions in Australia have compelled governments to implement various projects to address current or impending water shortages. Such projects have not always been popular with the local community who are directly affected by this infrastructure, with \u27procedural justice\u27 emerging as a critical issue. This paper analyses issues of public perceptions of \u27procedural justice\u27 in implementing environmental projects in regional areas, in the context of the recently approved desalination plant in the regional Victorian town of Wonthaggi. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data from a survey of 316 Wonthaggi residents, we show that one of the major predictors of residents\u27 resistance toward accepting the building of the desalination plant was explained by perceptions of procedural injustice. We further argue that inadequate attention to the particular political history of the region has compounded the sense that the plant implementation has been unfair. Attention to such political histories is vital to avoiding conflict with local stakeholders and to the successful and ethical implementation of development projects in regional areas.<br /

Exploring the associations between the perception of water scarcity and support for alternative potable water sources

This study examines the association between the perception of water scarcity and support for alternative water sources in general, and specifically desalination and recycled water. It also examines the mediating role that perception of climate change has on the aforementioned association. A 46-item survey (n = 588) was conducted in the Geelong region of Australia. Logistic regression was used to determine the independent association between perceived water scarcity and socio-demographic factors, with support for alternative water sources, desalination and recycled water. 82% of respondents supported undefined 'alternative water sources'. However, support for specific alternatives was lower (desalination: 65%; recycled water: 40.3%). Perception of water scarcity was significantly associated with increased odds of support for alternative water sources (OR 1.94, 95% CI: 1.25-3.00) and support for recycled water (OR 2.32, 95% CI: 1.68-3.31). There was no significant relationship between perception of water scarcity and support for desalination (OR 0.959 95% CI: 0.677-1.358). Climate change was found to mediate perceived water scarcity and support for alternative sources (OR 1.360, 95% CI: 0.841-2.198). The mediation of the relationship between perceived water scarcity and support for recycled water by climate change was not strong. These results facilitate enhanced community engagement strategies