Risk perception and risk management : a review. Pt. 1, Risk perception

Abstract

While experts confine the term risk to a combination of magnitude and probability of adverse effects, lay persons associate with risk a variety of criteria, such as voluntariness, possibility of personal control, familiarity, and others. To improve our knowledge about the risk perception process is crucial for improving risk management and risk communication. Responsive and rational approaches to risk management should recognize the results of risk perception studies in two ways: First, management has to address the concerns of the affected public and find policy options that reflect these concerns; second, risk reduction or mitigation should be tailored towards the goal of meeting not only the risk minimization objective, but also the implicit criteria of risk characteristics that matter to the public. If these criteria are in conflict with each other, tradeoffs have to be made and justified through legitimate instruments of conflict resolution. Risk perception studies can help to identify public concerns and shape the arena for conflict resolution. In addition, risk perception studies offer valuable insights for designing and implementing risk communication programs.