Emotions in the City? Emotional Responses to Urban Wildlife and Their Effect on Urban Reactive Behaviors During Environmental and Political Crisis:  Experimental Evidence from Wild Boars in Haifa

How do emotional responses shape urban behavior in the face of ecological and political disruption? This study investigates the emotional, cognitive, and institutional drivers of urban reactive behaviors in the context of escalating human–wildlife encounters. Focusing on wild boars in Haifa, Israel, we conducted a large-scale survey experiment using photo-based stimuli to elicit emotions—fear vs. empathy and indifference vs. curiosity—and to measure two behavioral outcomes: immediate spatial response and civic reporting (via calls to the municipal 106 hotline). Findings show that fear mediates the relationship between perceived harm and urban reactions, while curiosity and perceptions of good local governance moderate this effect. Curiosity, contrary to common assumptions, intensified fear and behavioral response. In contrast, high level of perceived good local governance buffered the physical expression of fear in public space but had limited influence on civic reporting. Emotional reactions also varied based on visual context, highlighting the importance of framing in public communication. This research contributes to interdisciplinary efforts to understand emotional infrastructure in cities and to promote adaptive urban governance. By linking environmental risk, emotional response, and institutional good local governance, the study informs the design of more inclusive and sustainable urban systems. The findings support key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).