Some factors influencing the nonexpert's perception and evaluation of environmental risks
Abstract
Policy makers and decision analysts have been limited somewhat in their ability to predict public reactions to regulatory decisions about hazardous substances or technologies. Most studies of the nonexpert's evaluation of environmental risks have relied on survey data and correlational analyses which preclude the determination of interactive effects, effects that could explain apparent inconsistencies. Three experimental studies were designed to test empirically the effect of six dimensions of environmental risk on judgments of (1) perceived risk, (2) acceptability of risk, (3) subjective probability of negative outcomes due to exposure, and (4) perceived severity of consequences. Factors examined included: (a) familiarity with the terms used to describe a hazard, (b) environmental persistence of a chemical, (c) personal relevance of data used to evaluate cancer-causing potential, (d) personal relevance of possible adverse consequences, (e) perceived control over exposure, and (f) vividness of the exposure pathway. The findings were discussed in terms of their implications for the nonexpert's formulation of risk perceptions, and public policy in the domain of environmental risks.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Stanford Univ., CA (USA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5149159
- Resource Type:
- Thesis/Dissertation
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY; RISK ASSESSMENT; HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY; PUBLIC POLICY; GOVERNMENT POLICIES; MATERIALS; 290300* - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment, Health, & Safety
Citation Formats
Vaughan, E. Some factors influencing the nonexpert's perception and evaluation of environmental risks. United States: N. p., 1986.
Web.
Vaughan, E. Some factors influencing the nonexpert's perception and evaluation of environmental risks. United States.
Vaughan, E. Wed .
"Some factors influencing the nonexpert's perception and evaluation of environmental risks". United States.
@article{osti_5149159,
title = {Some factors influencing the nonexpert's perception and evaluation of environmental risks},
author = {Vaughan, E},
abstractNote = {Policy makers and decision analysts have been limited somewhat in their ability to predict public reactions to regulatory decisions about hazardous substances or technologies. Most studies of the nonexpert's evaluation of environmental risks have relied on survey data and correlational analyses which preclude the determination of interactive effects, effects that could explain apparent inconsistencies. Three experimental studies were designed to test empirically the effect of six dimensions of environmental risk on judgments of (1) perceived risk, (2) acceptability of risk, (3) subjective probability of negative outcomes due to exposure, and (4) perceived severity of consequences. Factors examined included: (a) familiarity with the terms used to describe a hazard, (b) environmental persistence of a chemical, (c) personal relevance of data used to evaluate cancer-causing potential, (d) personal relevance of possible adverse consequences, (e) perceived control over exposure, and (f) vividness of the exposure pathway. The findings were discussed in terms of their implications for the nonexpert's formulation of risk perceptions, and public policy in the domain of environmental risks.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5149159},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1986},
month = {1}
}