Public reaction to imposed risk

Conference · Fri Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:5266465

O'Banion, K

Implicit in every nonarbitrary government decision on the use of technology is a trade-off of a certain amount of risk in return for societal benefits. However, the assessment of this risk is often frustrated, not only by inadequate experience and by incomplete knowledge of the causality of environmental impacts, but also by a disparity between individual and societal views of risk. While the societal view is based on quantitative methods and objective risk functions, and on net societal benefit, individuals tend to rely on subjective judgment, and consider the distribution as well as the amount of benefit. The resultant biases in the way individuals perceive risk are key to the viability of any policy decision, and thus must be considered in determining the future course of research in risk assessment.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore National Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5266465
• Report Number(s): UCRL-84839; CONF-800849-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
DECISION MAKING
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
PUBLIC POLICY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOCIAL IMPACT
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION