Showing papers on "Social impact assessment published in 1981"

A compositional approach to regional socio-economic impact assessment

Abstract: Economic and social impact assessments of developmental initiatives are often undertaken by independent analysts and rarely is an integral approach adopted. It is here argued that economic impact assessment can facilitate social impact assessment and simultaneously improve the accuracy of employment estimation, by distinguishing between various socio-demographic groups. In turn, the assessment of the socio-demographic composition of the local community has direct implications for the accuracy of the economic impact assessment. A methodology for a more integrated approach to economic and social impact assessment is developed herein and is empirically estimated. Compared to traditional, independent approaches, it is held that this approach yields improved estimates of changes in a community's employment and socio-demographic structure.

Social Assessment Indicators in Water Resource Development

Abstract: At present, the field of social impact assessment for water resources development contains a proliferation of often divergent listings of indicators for social well-being. One of the major reasons for this is that underlying assumptions concerning the nature of social well-being and its measurement are usually left implicit. This article identifies seven issues and problems relating to SIAs that have contributed to these differing approaches. The seven issues and problems covered are: (1) levels of causation; (2) objective versus subjective conceptualization and measurement; (3) projective versus evaluative assessment; (4) economic versus social and psychological models of motivation; (5) equating microlevel components with macrolevel data; (6) homogeneous versus pluralistic views of American society; and (7) specific phasing. Priorities for future research are also suggested with respect to these issues.

Special Areas of Application

Abstract: This final chapter includes a sampling of material in two rather different areas which have become foci for applied work in environmental problem solving, making use of behavioral science information and thinking. The first section is devoted to the area of environmental design primarily at the architectural scale. It is made up largely of contributions by design professionals with interest and expertise in the behavioral-science dimensions of environmental design, and focuses on the nature of the design process and the effective integration of behavioral science theory and methods into this process. The second section is devoted to a relatively new area, that of Social Impact Assessment, which has sprung into being in direct response to the mandate of the National Environmental Protection Act to take account of proposed projects that would alter the impact of the environment on community well- being and functioning. Social impact assessment thus represents a realm for the direct application of environment-and-behavior principles to the domain of environmental protection, and environmental decision making and management.