Connar McShane

My expertise draws on theoretical and conceptual understandings from health, social and environmental psychology. These understandings are used to identify the factors that influence peoples’ capacity to face challenges and adapt to change in agricultural and regional communities. I am particularly interested in how perceptions of risk or threat, perceived efficacy of target behaviour, and bonds to people and place influence decision-making and behaviour change. Examples of research applications include increasing adoption of preparatory behaviours to mitigate impacts of extreme weather events; and how the interaction between trust, social bonds, and efficacy influence farmer decision-making in the adoption of new technologies or systems, including biosecurity preparedness.