1. Communicating about Risks
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Communicating about Risks
[Phillip G. Clampitt, Ph.D.]
1/18/2019

2. 1. What is risk communication?
Communicating about relative benefits and hazards
benefits
hazards
relative “weighing alternatives”
Examples
Smoking
Alcohol
Drugs
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3. 2. Analyzing risks Well developed science Based on fault trees
Major dimensions
Exposure
Effect (“who” impacted, children)
“ … the risk may be well understood in a statistical sense but still be uncertain at the level of individual events” (Morgan, Scientific American)
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4. 3. Perceptions of Risk Not linear or straightforward Two dimensions
Ability to observe
Ability to control
So what?
Perceptions change
Reactions change
Communications should change
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5. 1/18/2019

6. 4. Principles of perception
What is a tolerable risk for some is intolerable for others
Trust is a critical factor
Experts
Science (problem of uncertainty)
Rules of thumb vary for different audiences
Understanding is not the same as agreement & participation
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7. 5. Ways of communicating Ancient way Old way Another way
Myths, legends, rituals, metaphors
Old way
Expert Sender
Concerned Receiver
Another way
Dialogue allowing perception of control
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8. 6. The premise of effective risk communication
“The essence of good risk communication is very simple: learn what people already believe, tailor the communication to the knowledge and to the decisions people face and then subject the resulting message to careful empirical evaluation” - Morgan
Example: EPA’s 1st Radon brochure never address a key myth
Radon contamination is permanent)
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9. 7. What is your objective? Minimize concerns
Inform publics of expert opinion
Educate publics
Persuade publics
“provide people with a basis for making an informed decision”
“successful risk comm. need not result in consensus or in uniform personal behavior” (National Research Council)
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10. 8. Developing the strategyAA
“Risk communication will suffer to the extent that the audience(s) is mischaracterized” National Research Council
“People tolerate risk for reasons that may have little to do with factual details, formal risk estimates, or details of risk abatement proposals” - Heath
Perceptions in the risk grid
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11. Strategy cont. Creating the right mindset
Accept the desire for non-expert audiences to exert control
Recognize the value-laden nature of risk assessment (“non-rationale”)
Realize that you better harvest the dissent or someone else will
Trust the power of dialogue over monologue
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12. Strategy cont. Develop the right processes
Collaborate with audiences in info. Gathering, risk assessment and control
Allow audiences to have a role in the risk control process
Build trust over time through community outreach
Allow the public to develop & practice emergency response measures
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13. Strategy cont. Facilitate the dialogue Acknowledge the uncertainties
Do not trivialize concerns
Accept criticism of data and decision processes
Participate in dialogue underscoring both legitimate benefits & potential harms
Frame questions/concerns in terms of experiences & values of audiences
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14. Strategy cont. Assess the impact Focus groups Participation rates
Question analysis
Surveys
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15. 9. Implement strategy Not a one-time event Publish policy statements
Keep in contact with key audiences
Monitor issues
locally
nationally
internationally
Revise strategy
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