A Look at Biases and Risks

1) Discrepancy between real and perceived risk 2) The Influence of Media 3) Why this topic matters

1) Discrepancy between real and perceived risk 2) The Influence of Media 3) Why this topic matters

MOST PEOPLE WOULD SAY SHARKS

BUT THE REAL ANSWER IS COWS

Annual Deaths Animals Bees Dogs Horses Cows Spiders Rattlesnakes Sharks 22 1

Unit of acute risk 1 in 1,000,000 chance of death

Activities Risk in Micromorts Accidents Suicide Homicide Heart Attack Cancer Falling Firearms Homicide in next year 1,

Activities Risk in Micromorts Accidents Suicide Homicide Heart Attack Cancer Falling Firearms Homicide in next year 1,

Activities Risk in Micromorts Accidents Suicide Homicide Heart Attack Cancer Falling Firearms Homicide in next year 1,

1 Pill of Ecstasy Skiing Horseback riding Falling Airplane Hurricane Bike Ride for 1 mile Lightning Strike Shark Attack Activities ] +

1) Discrepancy between real and perceived risk 2) The Influence of Media 3) Why this topic matters

1) Availability Bias 2) Bad News Effect

= report on shark attacks = report on cow stampedes = 66 U.S. results on NY Times  MORE LIKELY TO BE ATTACKED BY SHARKS =1 result on NY Times  LESS LIKELY TO BE ATTACKED BY COWS

Time Magazine declared 2001 the “Summer of the Shark” Thereafter, any encounter with a shark made prime time news

12 Killed in 85 Attacks Worldwide 5 Killed in 76 Attacks Worldwide 2000:2001:

Annual “Shark Week” every Summer No “Cow Week”

55 Wiki pages in Category: “Films about Sharks”

7 Wiki pages in Category: “Films about Cows”

Number of Google Searches, Normalized Year Shark Attack Bee Sting Dog Attack Cow Stampede

Annual Deaths Animals Bees Dogs Horses Cows Spiders Rattlesnakes Sharks 22 1

1) Discrepancy between real and perceived risk 2) The Influence of Media 3) Why this topic matters

In 2013 in the U.S. alone: Homicides: 16,121 cases Suicides: 41,149 cases

Activities Risk in Micromorts Accidents Suicide Homicide Heart Attack Cancer Falling Death by firearms Homicide in next 12 months 1, Activities Risk in Micromorts Accidents Suicide Homicide Heart Attack Cancer Falling Firearms Homicide in next year 1,

Too many movies 533 Wiki pages in Category: “Serial Killer Films ”

170 Wiki pages in Category: “Films about Suicide”

            pe=Homepage#/cow+stampedes/since1851/allresults/1/allauthors/relevance/U.S./ pe=Homepage#/cow+stampedes/since1851/allresults/1/allauthors/relevance/U.S./  pe=Homepage#/shark+attacks/since1851/allresults/1/allauthors/relevance/U.S./ pe=Homepage#/shark+attacks/since1851/allresults/1/allauthors/relevance/U.S./  