What are you afraid of
Increasingly today, organizations involved in managing risks are paying closer attention to how people perceive potential hazards. As these groups are finding out, understanding the factors that go into the public's perception of risk is critical to communicating effectively and making responsible decisions. This increased sensitivity to public concerns represents a shift from previous practice, which was based on the assumption that the public's lack of scientific knowledge was the main factor preventing laypeople from agreeing with risk experts. As risk researchers across the country strive to better understand the values that the public incorporates into its perception of various risks, organizations that manage risks are making more of an effort to involve the public in decision making. In the meantime, the science of risk assessment-based on biological research and statistical calculations-continues to evolve, providing an important foundation for decisions on risk.
- OSTI ID:
- 6831717
- Journal Information:
- EPRI Journal (Electric Power Research Institute); (United States), Journal Name: EPRI Journal (Electric Power Research Institute); (United States) Vol. 17:7; ISSN 0362-3416; ISSN EPRJDS
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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