Presenting uncertainty in health risk assessment: initial studies of its effects on risk perception and trust

• Published in: Risk analysis Vol. 15; no. 4; p. 485
• Main Authors: Johnson, B B, Slovic, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.1995
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude to Health; Cognition; Communication; Community-Institutional Relations; Environmental Health; Female; Focus Groups; Health; Humans; Male; Mass Media; Perception; Risk; Risk Assessment; Science; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; United States Environmental Protection Agency; United States
• ISSN: 0272-4332
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1995.tb00341.x

Some analysts suggest that discussing uncertainties in health risk assessments might reduce citizens' perceptions of risk and increase their respect for the risk-assessing agency. We tested this assumption with simulated news stories varying simple displays of uncertainty (e.g., a range of risk...