Topic 5 - Social Amplification of Risk

Question 1

What is SARF? Who developed it?

Answer 1

• Social Amplification of Risk Framework

- Kasperson

Question 2

What is the main thesis of SARF?

Answer 2

• Hazards interact with psychological, social, institutional & cultural processes in ways that may amplify or attenuate public responses

Question 3

What is the first thing in SARF?

Answer 3

Risk Event

• an actual event
• new reports on existing risks
• hypothesized accidents or incidents

Question 4

What is the 2nd and 3rd things to occur in SARF?

Answer 4

Information Sources and Channels

Question 5

What are 2 information sources?

Answer 5

1. ) Personal experience (direct)

2. ) Communication with others (direct-through friends family / indirect-news)

Question 6

What are 3 Information channels?

Answer 6

1. ) Senses (smelling smoke, what we see/hear)
2. ) Informal Social Networks (friends and family)
3. ) Professionals (scientists)

Question 7

What is the 4th thing to occur in SARF?

Answer 7

Social “Stations” of Amplification & Attenuation

Question 8

What are some examples of Social “Stations”

Answer 8

• Opinion leaders
• Social groups
• Government agencies
• Voluntary organizations
• Reporters & mass media

Question 9

What is Attenuation?

Answer 9

• the reduction of the force, effect, or value of something.

- Limited media coverage

Question 10

Who is David Schindler?

Answer 10

• Opinion leader who is involved in amplification of water pollution in Athabasca river

Question 11

What happened in Broken Hill, Australia?

Answer 11

• Mining was economic base, lead poisoning was main concern.
• Political figure downplayed the intensity of the issue of how lead was harmful and was causing health affects.
  (This is an example of a social station of attenuation)
• Different people responded and processed information differently

Question 12

What is the 5th thing to occur in SARF? What is it?

Answer 12

Individual “Stations”

• How does the individual process the information received?
• Attention filter, decoding, intuitive heuristics, evaluation & interpretation, social context

Question 13

What is the 6th thing to occur in SARF? What is it?

Answer 13

Institutional and Social Behaviour

• Attitude Change
• Political/Social Action
• Organizational Responses
• Social Protest

Question 14

What is the 7th thing to occur in SARF? What is it?

Answer 14

Ripple Effects

1. ) Directly affected persons
2. ) Community
3. ) Professional & stakeholder groups
4. ) Society

Question 15

What are 2 examples of large ripple effects?

Answer 15

1. ) Tylenol - tainted with cyanide
   - lost market share, impacts on drug manufacturers and society
2. ) Airline Security after 9/11

Question 16

What is the 8th thing to occur in SARF?

Answer 16

Secondary Impacts

Question 17

What are 7 Secondary Impacts?

Answer 17

1. ) Loss of sales
2. ) Financial losses
3. ) Regulatory actions
4. ) Organizational changes (training/qualifications/education)
5. ) Litigation
6. ) Community concerns
7. ) Loss of confidence in institutions

Question 18

Case Study: BSE

What is it?

Answer 18

BSE - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease)

• Social Stations: media coverage, government
• Institutional & Social Behaviours: decline in beef sales, schools remove beef from menus
• Ripple Effects: country, international
• Impacts: Loss of Sales, loss of trust