ABSTRACT
Interest in assessing socio-environmental factors associated with particular projects arose as a reaction against the deficiencies of traditional assessment techniques. Social impact assessment (SIA) attempts to complement the study of natural, or biophysical, environmental impacts with information on the social and socio-economic impacts which may be associated with a new project, policy, or program. These impacts, or alterations in living conditions, include changes in psychological and physiological factors, community processes, and changes in the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. In any event, the complex and multi-faceted nature of the decision process should be reflected in SIA which stresses equally the importance of good data collection and thorough public participation. To date most SIA is directed at resource development or large scale construction projects. Instead a participatory mode of SIA is proposed which recognizes the value orientation of the SIA researcher, and the ncessarily ambiguous, or subjective, nature of studies of social phenomena.
