Transcript Document

Risk Perception
The fundamental dilemma of health
risk communication

The risks that kill people and the risks that
alarm people are completely different
Covello y Sandman, 2001.
Theory of humanist psychology
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Physiological needs
Safety needs
Psychological needs
Self-esteem needs
Self-actualization needs
Risk = Hazard + Outrage
(values)
Covello y Sandman, 2001.
To understand Risk Perception, we must answer the
following questions:
1. What kind of individuals is the public made up of?
2. What factors determine risk perceptions and
attitudes?
3. How are risk perceptions and attitudes manifested?
4. What can be done to soften attitudes regarding the
risk?
Elements that influence the community’s
risk perception
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How true is the risk?
What is the absolute risk?
Are you really at risk?
What is obtained in exchange for the risk?
Can you do anything about the risk?
Characteristics of the hazard that have an
influence on Risk Perception
Acceptable Risks:
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Voluntary
Under your control
Clearly beneficial
Fairly distributed
Natural
Statistical
From a reliable source
Familiar
Those that affect adults
Fischhoff, et al., 1981
Unacceptable risks:
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Involuntary
Controlled by others
Of little or no benefit
Unfairly distributed
Man-made
Catastrophic
From unknown sources
Unfamiliar, exotic
Those that affect children
Source:Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Voluntary Risk
Involuntary Risk
Outrage factors and
Risk Perception
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Comprehension
Uncertainty
Delayed effects
Effects on children
Effects on future
generations
Dread
Outrage factors and
Risk Perception (Continued)
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Trust
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Attention of the mass media
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Reversibility
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Ethical and moral nature
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Man-made versus natural origin
Covello y Sandman, 2001.
Risk assessment is influenced by the
bias of the perception
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Availability bias: Judging probability by how easily
the events can be brought to mind
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Anchor bias: Assessments influenced by the event
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Optimistic bias: Belief that one is running a slighter
risk than the population at large (“that’s not going
to happen to me”)
Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Dimensions of trust
• Commitment
• Competence
• Care
• Openness and honesty
What determines
Risk Perception?

Individual level in Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs
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Individual and social values
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Culture
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Experiences
What determines
Risk Perception?(Continued)
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Level of education
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Outrage factors
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Who the person is and how he/she is affected
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Level of control over the event
Perception
is
reality