How we change what others think, feel, believe and do |
Ten Risk-perception Factors
Explanations > Meaning > Ten Risk-perception Factors Dread | Control | Nature vs. man-made | Choice | Children | Novelty | Publicity | Propinquity | Risk-benefit tradeoff | Trust | So what
Actual and perceived risk are often very different. We use all kinds of short-cuts to guess the real risk and Psychologist Paul Slovic has identified ten factors that influence how we assess risks: 1. DreadWhen we think about something we try to predict what will happen, often pessimistically. We then have feelings of dread as we imagine terrible, awful outcomes. This exaggeration makes us assess the risk as being higher than it is. 2. ControlWe all have a need for a sense of control and and often perceive that we have more control that we actually have. This 'control illusion' leads us to perceive risks as being less than they actually are. 3. Nature vs. man-madeSometimes natural disasters seem less risky than human-created ones, perhaps because we have more control over human events. The reverse effect can also be true for the same reasons -- the lack of ability to control such as the weather can also make it seem more scary. 4. ChoiceIf I have choice between two equally risky items, then I may well perceive that the risk is lower than it actually is, probably from the sense of control that having a choice gives me. 5. ChildrenWe are programmed to care for children and so risks that affect them may well seem greater than those that affect adults. We thus worry about children's safety and put extraordinary effort into ensuring their environment is relatively risk-free. 6. NoveltyRisks that we have not encountered before cause us to spend more time thinking about them and may well seem more risky. This may be because, as a safety factor, we often up the risk assessment of unknown risks. 7. PublicityIf a risk has a lot of public attention, such as terrorist events, then, due to the availability heuristic, the risk is likely to be assessed as being more significant than it actually is. 8. PropinquityIf I am the subject of risk, then I am likely to assess the risk as being higher than if I am a bystander. It is thus more difficult to make a decision to undergo a surgical procedure if you are the person affected. 9. Risk-benefit tradeoffIf there are opportunities as well as risks mixed up together and a choice could lead to benefits, this can make the actual risk being seen as being less than it actually still is. 10. TrustWhere the risk involved the actions of others, how we assess the risk will be significantly affected by the extent to which we trust the other party or parties involved. So what?When making decisions, take these into account and try to understand the real, not the perceived, risk. When influencing others to make a decision, you can use these factors to change their assessment of the actual risk. See alsoEllis' Irrational Beliefs, Trust, Theories about decision-making
Hillson, D. (2009). Swine flu and risk perception, Project Management Today, June 2009 |
Site Menu |
| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings | |
Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories | |
Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help | |
More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes | |
Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate | |
You can buy books here |
And the big |
| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links | |
|
Site Menu |
| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings | |
Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories | |
Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help | |
More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes | |
Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate | |
| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links | |
|