Mr Sebastian Selge

Sebastian Selge is an environmental psychologist working in the Socio-Economic Research Group as a PhD student registered with Aberdeen University. He is studying people's perceptions of non-native plants and animals.

Research Interests

Ten percent of all species that are introduced into the wild establish in a continental setting persisting populations. Ten percent of those species that get established become what biologists would call "invasive"*. Scientific evidence does not clearly support the notion that biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity. In spite of that, non-native species are the subject of an intense, even emotional debate in science, politics and the public. Why do we react so alarmed when we hear that "non-native" species are "invading" our country? Why do we abandon objectivity and call those species "alien", "invaders", "immigrants" and "pests"? The search for answers to these questions leads to concepts from social psychology, cognitive psychology and environmental psychology that might help to suggest ways out of the current unproductive discussion.

*Williamson, M. and Fitter, A. (1996). The varying success of invaders. Ecology, 71, 661-1666

Sebastian's most recent publications

• Understandings of nature: public views, conflicts and attitudes towards management., Fischer, A.; Marshall, K.; Selge, S., (2009) Knowledge Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness, 25 March 2009.