Risk management

Question 1

What is risk assessment according to Smith (2013)?

Answer 1

involves evaluating the significance of a particular threat, by either quantitative or qualitative means.

Question 2

What is risk perception?

Answer 2

a valid element in risk management, alongside more scientific assessments. Distinctions are often drawn between objective and perceived risks. This is because the level of personal risk, perceived by the individual concerned, often differs from the results obtained by more objective assessments.

Question 3

What is the risk perception paradox?

Answer 3

Refers to the mismatch between people’s perceived risk and the actual risk of a given hazard. The authors argue that this paradox poses significant challenges for governance and communication of natural hazards, as it can lead to ineffective risk management and communication strategies.

Question 4

What are the four risk perception sectors that have an influence on the risk perception paradox?

Answer 4

1) the perceived magnitude of disaster (difficult)
2) informational factors (news and trustworthiness)
3) personal factors (e.g. age, gender, education
4) personal knowledge, experience), contextual factors (economic, vulnerability, family status, country).

Question 5

What is the value of direct vs indirect experiences with disasters?

Answer 5

• Direct – positive effect on risk perception and adaptation – May have positive effect (warned for next time) and negative (‘wasn’t so bad last time so wont be bad this time’).
• Indirect experience – through media, education etc. Harder to adapt.

Question 6

What are 3 possible reasons that might explain the weak relation between risk perception and personal action?

Answer 6

1) Benefits outweigh costs
2) Lack of realization of agency – the responsibility for action is put on someone else
3) Individuals feel like they have little resources to affect situation

Question 7

What are some risk perception processes in communication?

Answer 7

1) Determinate perception: make patterns out of chaos
2) Dissonant perception: risk denial
3) Probabilistic perception: calculate risk
4) Risk amplification: giving a name makes it real
5) may increase awareness
6) inaction when false alarms are repeatedly shown