The crucial role of nomothetic and idiographic conceptions of time: Interdisciplinary collaboration in nuclear waste management
Loading...
Author (Corporation)
Publication date
2012
Typ of student thesis
Course of study
Type
01A - Journal article
Editors
Editor (Corporation)
Supervisor
Parent work
Risk Analysis
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
Link
Series
Series number
Volume
32
Issue / Number
1
Pages / Duration
138-154
Patent number
Publisher / Publishing institution
Wiley
Place of publication / Event location
Edition
Version
Programming language
Assignee
Practice partner / Client
Abstract
The disposal of nuclear waste involves extensive time scales. Technical experts consider up to 1 million years for the disposal of spent fuel and high‐level waste in their safety assessment. Yet nuclear waste is not only a technical but also a so‐called sociotechnical problem and, therefore, requires interdisciplinary collaboration between technical, natural, social sciences, and the humanities in its management. Given that these disciplines differ in their language, epistemics, and interests, such collaboration might be problematic. Based on evidence from cognitive psychology, we suggest that, in particular, a concept like time is presumably critical and can be understood differently. This study explores how different scientific disciplines understand extensive time scales in general and then focuses on nuclear waste. Eighteen qualitative exploratory interviews were conducted with experts for time‐related phenomena of different disciplines, among them experts working in nuclear waste management. Analyses revealed two distinct conceptions of time corresponding to idiographic and nomothetic research approaches: scientists from the humanities and social sciences tend to have a more open, undetermined conception of time, whereas natural scientists tend to focus on a more determined conception that includes some undetermined aspects. Our analyses lead to reflections on potential difficulties for interdisciplinary teams in nuclear waste management. We focus on the understanding of the safety assessment, on potential implications for communication between experts from different disciplines (e.g., between experts from the humanities and engineering for risk assessment and risk communication), and we reflect on the roles of different disciplines in nuclear waste management.
Keywords
Subject (DDC)
Event
Exhibition start date
Exhibition end date
Conference start date
Conference end date
Date of the last check
ISBN
ISSN
0272-4332
1539-6924
1539-6924
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
No
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
License
Citation
Moser, C., Stauffacher, M., Krütli, P., & Scholz, R. W. (2012). The crucial role of nomothetic and idiographic conceptions of time: Interdisciplinary collaboration in nuclear waste management. Risk Analysis, 32(1), 138–154. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-6924.2011.01639.x