Risk perception and communication - Chapter 6-7 Flashcards
What is risk perception?
Risk perception is a persons subjective judgement of risk, taking into account social, cultural and psychological factors.
Risk perception is not only about emotions and feelings; it can also capture conscious judgments of uncertainties and hence risk. It is important to note that people’s risk perception could cover aspects of risk and uncertainty that are not adequately captured by the professional risk judgments!
Examples of the things that make up perception of risk: affect, trust, risk acceptability, professional risk descriptions, the persons own risk description, how the person likes or dislikes aspects of risk.
What is risk communication?
Risk communication covers exchange or sharing of
risk-related data, information and knowledge between and among different target groups (such as regulators, stakeholders, consumers, media and the general public)
Whats the difference between professional risk judgements and risk perception?
The risk descriptions and characterization provide ‘pure’ judgements of the consequences of the activities studied and associated uncertainties as in (A’,C’, Q,K), without adding feelings and value judgements related to how people like or dislike the consequences and uncertainties.
Risk perception is a personal judgement or appraisal of risk, also including such aspects. We know from the literature on risk perception and behavioural decision-making that personal, cultural and psychological aspects have an effect on our percepetion (affect, familiarity, control, catastrophic potential, etc.,)
Risk perception can sometimes identify aspects of risk (consious judgements of uncertainties and hence risk) which are not properly reflected by the proffesional risk assessments.
The risk related to nuclear powerplants is a good example. Experts argue that the risks were relatively small on the basis of statistics and probability numbers, while peoples concerns were all about persceptional aspects. The risk perception was also capturing important aspects of risk for which the proffesional judgements at the time ignored.
Describe system 1 and system 2 thinking
Risk perception is often strongly influenced by system 1 (quick, instinctual, emotional) whereas professional judgements are based on system 2 (slow, logical, deliberative)
Describe biases and heuristics. Give examples.
Cognititve processes and mental “shortcuts” that influence how we perceive information and make judgements.
Confirmation bias:
The tendency to seek out and favor information that confirms one’s existing belief/opinion, while downplaying or ignoring contradictory evidence/information.
Anchoring bias:
Giving disproportionately large weight to the first piece of information encountered.
Availability heuristics:
Using the ease with which relevant examples come to mind as an indicator of how likely an event is to occur.
Representativeness heuristics:
The tendency to assess the likelihood of an event based on how closely it resembles a prototype or stereotype.
What is affect and trust in relation to risk perception?
Affect is often used as an umbrella word to describe anything related to emotions – a person’s basic sense of feeling.
Trust affects how we understand and perceive risks and risk events. Distrust serves important functions, for instance ensuring social and political oversight, generating alternative control mechanisms and holding in check the power of elites and technical experts.
There are arguments supporting a critical trust perspective: some level of sceptisism, or ‘healthy distrust’, e.g., leading to contructive debate concerning what is the ‘correct’ information
Explain risk amplification and risk attenuation
Risk amplification - Intensifying or increasing the importance or volume’ of certain risk signals
Risk attenuation - Weakening or decreasing the importance or ‘volume’ of certain risk signals
Basic stages of risk communication process (loop).EA, UA, ErBr,Br
1. Exposure and attention:
What do risk communicators express, and how do messages attract peoples attention?
2. Understanding and acceptance:
What governs understanding (e.g., mental models, expressions of risk and uncertainty)?
Which messages are believed to be true? An influential factor is trust in sender.
3. Evaluative reactions and behavioral tendencies:
Evaluative reactions (to the message): Cognitive and emotional responses.
Behavioral preferences: Which behavioral options are taken into account? What influences behavioral tendencies (e.g., perceived efficacy, culture, identity protection)?
4. Behavioral responses:
Behavior: Which contextual factors influence behavior (e.g., incentives, nudging)?
Habit: Which factors foster retention and maintenance of behavior? Which factors foster change?
How can risk communication influence risk perception?
If risk assessors and managers proactively adress uncertainties of the consequenses and knowledge limitations and consider these aspects in their risk communication, there is potential to reduce or avoid increased risk perception. What we know is important, but also what we don’t know.
What is the main purpose of risk communication?
The main purpose is to improve the understanding of risk, and in this way support relevant decision making.
There are a bunch of functions and goals like:
- Enlightenment function
- Right to know function
- Attitude change function
- Legitimation function
- Risk reduction function
- Behavioral change function
- Emergency preparedness function
- Involvement function
- Participation function
–ERALREBIP–
Successful risk communication depends on the aims and focuses of the communication.
What is the difference between risk perception and professional judgements about risk?
In contrast to risk perception proffesional judgements about risk are not to include feeling nor conclusions about risk acceptability/unacceptability. Risk perception can sometimes identify aspects of risk (consious judgements of uncertainties and hence risk) which are not properly reflected by the proffesional risk assessments.
The risk related to nuclear powerplants is a good example. Experts argue that the risks were relatively small on the basis of statistics and probability numbers, while peoples concerns were all about persceptional aspects. The risk perception was also capturing important aspects of risk for which the proffesional judgements at the time ignored.
Openness and transparancy
The desired result in risk communication is an open and transparent risk communication with sharing and discussion of risk-related information.
The traditional elitist and expert-based approach has been replaced by a more transparent and open framework that ensures greater access to data, information and knowledge.
?Informer, men ikke for mye slik at perceived risiko (pga fear and dread) blir høyere. Må derfor ha critical trust også?
What are the main factors affecting risk being perceived as high?
Psychometric paradigm: Dread and newness
