Transcript Risk Communications Presentation

Risk and Crisis Communication
Vincent T. Covello, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Risk Communication
29 Washington Square West, Suite 2A
New York, New York 10011
Tel.: 646-654-1679; Fax.: 212-749-3590
email: [email protected]
web site: www.centerforriskcommunication.org
copyright 2002
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Risk and Crisis Communication
“A Science-based Approach for
Communicating Effectively in:
 High-Concern, High Stress
 Emotionally Charged, or
 Controversial Situations”
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“...the major public health challenges
since 9/11 were not just clinical,
epidemiological, technical, issues.
The major challenges were
communication. In fact, as we move
into the 21st century, communication
may well become the central science
of public health practice.” (December,
2001)
-Edward Baker, MD, MPH, Assistant
US Surgeon General
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Risk and Crisis Communication
“Situations” where risk communications
can prove invaluable:
 Controversial industrial development
 Contract negotiations
 Crisis and emergency management
 Losses in corporate confidence
 Part of everyday life
Change.
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Risk Communication
Part of everyday life:
 at work
 at home
 in the community
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“ ...in high concern…”
High Concern
Low Trust
(essential)
High Concern
High Trust
(essential)
Low Concern
Low Trust
(recommended)
Low Concern
High Trust
(optional)
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Definition of Risk:
“The probability of loss of
that which we value.”
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•
First Steps
Anticipate questions and
concerns by listening
•
Prepare accurate, well
crafted, relevant, ethical,
consistent , understandable messages
•
Practice delivery
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Risk and Crisis
Communication Research:
Example: Sound bites
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Risk and Crisis Communication
Sound bite research:
Assumption: national news,
controversial topic
• 7 to 9 seconds (21-27 words, 30
words max.)
• 3 messages
• 9 second knowledge/trust
window
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Risk and Crisis Communication:
Overarching Key Messages
• Limited message duration
• Limited message content
• Enhanced knowledge/trust
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Message Map
Key Word Message Map 1
Key Message/Fact
1.
Stakeholder:
Question/Concern
Key Message/Fact
2.
Key Message/Fact
3.
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.3
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.3
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.3
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Overarching Risk and Crisis
Communication Challenge
“Ethical
Communication”
Versus
“Spin”
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Spin:
“…making things appear to
be that which they are not.”
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Challenge
“Ethical
Communication”
Question: What are the
characteristics of ethical
risk and crisis
communication?
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Risk and Crisis Communication
Three Primary Goals
 Knowledge and
Understanding
 Trust and Credibility
 Dialogue to Resolve
Disagreements
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Overarching Goal:
To Avoid Regret
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Challenge 1: Perceptions
“There is virtually no
correlation between the
ranking of a threat or hazard
by experts and the ranking
of those same hazards by
the public”
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Risk Communication
 Perception = Reality
 That which is perceived
as real is real.
 That which is perceived
as real is real in its
consequences
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PERCEPTIONS OF RISK
(Outrage Factors)
Lower Perceived Risk
Higher Perceived Risk
1. Trustworthy sources
2. Substantial benefits
3. Voluntary
4. Controllable
5. Fair/equitable
6. Natural origin
7. Familiar
8. Not dreaded
9. Certain
10. Children not as
victims
Untrustworthy sources
Few benefits
Involuntary
Not controllable
Unfair/inequitable
Human origin (man made)
Unfamiliar/exotic
Dreaded
Uncertain
Children as victims
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PERCEPTION OF RISK
(Outrage) (cont…)
Lower Perceived Risk
Higher Perceived Risk
11. Not memorable
12. Moral/ethical
13. Clear non-verbal
message
14. Responsive
15. Random/scattered
16. Little media attention
17. Victims statistical
18. Immediate effects
19. Effect reversible
20. Scientifically well
Memorable
Immoral/unethical
Mixed non-verbal
message
Unresponsive
Catastrophic
Much media attention
Victims identifiable
Delayed effects
Effect irreversible
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Non scientifically well
Risk Perception (Outrage) Factors
Amplification Weights
Factor
Weight
Trust………………………..….. 2000
Control……………………..….. 1000
Benefits …………….…….……. 1000
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Challenge 2: Perceptions of Trust
& Distrust
In High Concern Situations, People Want to Know That You
Care Before They Care What You Know
Listening/Caring/
Empathy
50%
Assessed
in first 930 seconds
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Challenge 3:
Negative Dominance
1N=3P
One negative equals three
positives
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Challenge 3:
Negative Dominance
•
No
• Not
• Never
• Nothing
• None
25
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Risk Communication
Sound Bite Construction Exercise
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At Work: Job Interview Questions
•
Why are you the best
candidate?
•
What are your greatest
weaknesses?
•
Where do you see
yourself in five years?
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•
First Steps
What are your
communication
objectives?
– Knowledge?
– Trust?
– Dialogue?
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•
First Steps
Who is your audience?
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Stakeholders - Examples
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Family and Friends
Employees
Employee families
Supervisors
Co-workers
Unions
Advisory Panels
Local Government
State Government
Federal Government
Other Government Agencies
Politicians
Individuals in the
Community
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Activist Groups
Educators
Religious Leaders
Shareholders/Investors
Senior Management
Physicians and Other Health
Professionals
Emergency Responders
Legal Practitioners
Local Business Community
Contractors/Consultants
Media
Ethic/minority groups
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Sensitive individuals or
•
First Steps
What are there
concerns?
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Values at Risk
• Safety
• Security
• Economic
• Health
• Quality of Life
• etc.
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•
First Steps
Message Development
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First Steps
• What are the three most
important things you would like
your audience to know
• What are the three most
important things your audience
would like to know
• What are the three most
important things your audience
is most likely to get wrong unless
they are emphasized
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Examples
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Message Map
Key Word Message Map 1
Key Message/Fact
1.
Stakeholder:
Question/Concern
Key Message/Fact
2.
Key Message/Fact
3.
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.3
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.3
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.3
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Smallpox Questions
• How contagious is
smallpox?
• Is there enough vaccine?
• What are the signs and
symptoms of smallpox?
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Question: How contagious is
smallpox?

Key Message 1: Spreads slowly
 Key Message 2: Time to contact
 Key Message 3: Vaccination
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Smallpox Questions:
CDC Message Mapping Project
 Over 60 draft maps
prepared
 Sources for questions
 Focus group testing
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Message Map
Key Word Message Map 1
Key Message/Fact 1.
Question: How
contagious is smallpox
Key Message/Fact 2.
Key Message/Fact 3.
Keywords: Spreads
Slowly
Keywords: Time to
Contact
Keywords: Vaccination
Within Days
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.1
...
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.1
...
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.3
...
...
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.3
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.3
...
...
…..
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Message Mapping
Follow-up Questions
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Key Word Message Map 3
Key Message/Fact 1.
Stakeholder: Construction Workers
Question/Concern/Issue:
Worker Exposure to
silica dust
Key Message/Fact 2.
Key Message/Fact 3.
Keywords:
Personal protection
Keywords:
Health screening /
monitoring
Keywords:
Engineering /
administrative controls
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.1
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 1.3
Environment /
equipment
Hazard
communication
Education /
awareness
program
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 2.3
Baseline
physical exams
Periodic
screening /
surveillance
Workplace air
monitoring
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.2
Keywords:
Supporting
Fact 3.3
Dust source
reduction
Dust
suppression
Limited
exposure times
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Risk and Crisis Communication
Origins of the Field
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Risk and Crisis Communication
Origins of the Field
• Deep Historical Roots
– Mental Noise Theory
– Trust Determination Theory
• More Recent Roots
– Risk Perception Theory
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Risk and Crisis Communication
Origins of the Field
• Deep Historical Roots
– Mental Noise Theory
– Trust Determination Theory
• More Recent Roots
– Risk Perception Theory
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Risk and Crisis Communication
Origins of the Field
• Deep Roots
– Mental Noise Theory
– Trust Determination Theory
•
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Mental Noise Theory
When people are stressed or
upset, they have difficulty :
• hearing information
• understanding information
• remembering information
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Mental Noise Theory: Verbal
Messages Implications -- Core
• Limited time (e.g., attention
span)
• Limited content (e.g., 3
messages)
• Clear (e.g., 6th grade)
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Mental Noise Theory: Verbal
Message Implications -- Add-Ons
• Repetition (e.g., internal
and external)
• Prioritized (e.g., first and
last)
• Visuals (graphics, demos)
• 1N = 3P
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Seven Part Model
•
Listening, Caring, Empathy Statement
•
State Three Key Messages
•
Re-State First Key Message Plus
Supporting Information
•
Re-State Second Key Message Plus
Supporting Information
•
Re-State Third Key Message Plus
Supporting Information
•
Re-State Three Key Messages
•
Indicate Future Actions
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Mental Noise Theory:
Non-Verbal Messages
 Provides up to 50-75% of
message content
 Noticed intensely and
negatively interpreted
 Overrides verbal
communication
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Risk and Communication
Origins of the Field
• Deep Roots
– Mental Noise Theory
– Trust Determination Theory
•
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Trust DeterminationTheory
When people are stressed or
upset, they often distrust that
others are:
• listening, caring, empathy
• honest, open
• competent, expert
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Trust DeterminationTheory
Mirroring
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Question: Genetically Modified
Food and Allergies
Key Message 1:Tested
Key Message 2:Conventional
Foods
Key Message 3:Identify Gene
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Risk and Communication
Origins of the Field
•
More Recent Roots
– Risk Perception Theory
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PERCEPTIONS OF RISK
(Outrage Factors)
Lower Perceived Risk
Higher Perceived Risk
1. Trustworthy sources
2. Substantial benefits
3. Voluntary
4. Controllable
5. Fair/equitable
6. Natural origin
7. Familiar
8. Not dreaded
9. Certain
10. Children not as
victims
Untrustworthy sources
Few benefits
Involuntary
Not controllable
Unfair/inequitable
Human origin (man made)
Unfamiliar/exotic
Dreaded
Uncertain
Children as victims
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PERCEPTION OF RISK
(Outrage) (cont…)
Lower Perceived Risk
Higher Perceived Risk
11. Not memorable
12. Moral/ethical
13. Clear non-verbal
message
14. Responsive
15. Random/scattered
16. Little media attention
17. Victims statistical
18. Immediate effects
19. Effect reversible
20. Scientifically well
understood
Memorable
Immoral/unethical
Mixed non-verbal
message
Unresponsive
Catastrophic
Much media attention
Victims identifiable
Delayed effects
Effect irreversible
59
Non scientifically well
understood
Risk Perception (Outrage) Factors
Amplification Weights
Factor
Weight
Trust………………………..….. 2000
Control……………………..….. 1000
Fairness …………….…….……. 500
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Trust Determination Factors
In High Concern Situations
Listening/Caring/
Empathy
Assessed
in first
30 seconds
50%
Competence/
Expertise
Dedication/
Commitment
15-20%
15-20%
Honesty/
Openness
15-20%
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Developing Trust
• The higher the level of emotion or distrust,
the greater the need for:
– words/statements
– gestures
– actions
that communicate
– listening
– caring
– empathy
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Trust / Credibility
Credibility Transference
“A lower credibility source takes on
the credibility of the highest credible
source that agrees with its position
on an issue.”
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Trust / Credibility
Credibility Reversal
“When a lower credibility source
attacks the credibility of a higher
credibility source, the lower credibility
source loses further credibility.”
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Trust / Credibility
Credibility Reversal (con’t)
“The only information source that can
effectively attack the credibility of
another source is one of equal or
higher credibility.”
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Environmenal Trust Ladder
• High
– Health Professionals (e.g., Nurses, Physicians)
– Safety Professionals (e.g., Fire, Police)
– University Scientists
• Medium
– Environmental Professionals
– Media
– Activist Groups
• Low
– Industry
– Federal Government
– Paid External Consultants
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Stakeholders - Examples
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Family and Friends
Employees
Employee families
Supervisors
Co-workers
Unions
Advisory Panels
Local Government
State Government
Federal Government
Other Government Agencies
Politicians
Individuals in the
Community
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Activist Groups
Educators
Religious Leaders
Shareholders/Investors
Senior Management
Physicians and Other Health
Professionals
Emergency Responders
Legal Practitioners
Local Business Community
Contractors/Consultants
Media
Ethic/minority groups
67
Sensitive individuals or
Risk Perception (Outrage) Factors
Amplification Weights
Factor
Weight
Trust………………………..….. 2000
Control……………………..….. 1000
Fairness …………….…….……. 500
68
Control Factors
 Choice
 Voice
 Knowledge
69
Risk and Crisis Communication
Three Primary Goals
 Knowledge and
Understanding
 Trust and Credibility
 Dialogue to Resolve
Disagreements
70