RiskPerception:Theories,Strategies,AndNextSteps2visitthecampbellinstitute.org|call(630)775-2283|emailcampbellinstitute@nsc.orgExecutivesummaryUnderstandingriskandhowitisperceivedisacrucialsteptowardcreatingprogramsandcampaignstoraiseawarenessandmakecommunitiesandworkplacessafer.ThisCampbellInstituteliteraturereviewlooksatthecurrentstateofresearchintheareaofrisktakingandexploresthereasonswhyindividualstakerisksinsideandoutsidetheworkplace.Inshort,riskperception,ortheabilitytodiscernrisk,istiedtorisktolerance,oranindividual’scapacitytoacceptacertainamountofrisk.Researchsuggeststhatprogramstodiscouragerisk-takingbehaviorneedtoaddressbothoftheseconcepts.Thispapersummarizestheindividual,communityandbroadersocietalfactorsthataffectriskperceptionandtolerance.Itthendelvesintoapresentationofseveraltheoriesexplainingriskperception,includingtheoriesrelatedtoprotectionmotivation,habituatedaction,riskcompensationandsocialaction.ExamplesofhowCampbellInstituteMembercompanieshaveputthesetheoriesandconceptsintopracticearehighlightedthroughoutthepaper.Overall,theideapresentedisthatoccupationalandnon-occupationalrisktakingarerelated.Thefactorsandtheoriesofriskperceptionareapplicabletoanumberofon-andoff-the-jobbehaviors.Knowinghowandwhyindividualsengageinriskybehaviorcouldaidsignificantlyincreatingmessagingandprogramstomakecommunitiesandworkplacessafer.IntroductionAsurveyaskingforageneraldefinitionof“risk”wouldprobablyrevealthatmostpeoplehaveabasicunderstandingofwhatriskmeans,andmaybeabletoprovideanexampleofwhattheyconsider“riskybehavior.”Scholarlyresearchandanecdotalevidencetellus,however,thatthereisnouniversalconceptionofriskorhowmuchriskisinherentincertainactivities.Thewidearrayofopinionsonwhatisandwhatisnothigh-riskmeansthatsomeindividualsaremorepronetoplacingthemselvesinhazardoussituations,oftenputtingothersinharm’sway.Thisliteraturereviewattemptstosummarizethecurrentstateofresearchregardingrisk-takingbehaviorandexplorethereasonswhypeopleengageinhigh-riskbehaviorinsideandoutsideoftheworkplace.Theideapresentedhereisthatoccupationalandnon-occupationalrisktakingarerelated–thefactorsandtheoriesexplaininggreaterrisktoleranceinindividualsareapplicabletoawidevarietyofbehaviorsbothon-andoff-the-job.Anofficialdefinitionofriskis“ameasureoftheprobabilityandseverityofadverseeffects”(NationalSafetyCouncil,2003).Inotherwords,riskisacalculationofhowlikelyanincidentistooccur,andgivenitsoccurrence,howdiretheconsequenceswouldbe.Beingabletoaccuratelyassesstheriskinasituationorresultingfromasetofactionsis,atapersonalqualitativelevel,dependentuponanindividual’sriskperceptionandrisktolerance.Riskperceptionistheabilityofanindividualtodiscernacertainamountofrisk,andrisktolerancereferstoaperson’scapacitytoacceptacertainamountofrisk.Thesetwoconcepts,whileunique,areverymuchlinked.Manyofthetheoriespresentedinthisliteraturereviewpostulatethatinabilitytoaccuratelyperceiveriskmayleadtohigherrisktolerancelevels,whichcanencouragehigh-riskbehavior.Othertheoriespositthatthecausalflowcouldgointheoppositedirection,withhabitualengagementinhigh-riskbehaviorleadingtohigherrisktolerancelevelsandlowerriskperceptionability.Thereisresearchtosupportbothofthesemodels.LowerriskperceptionHigherrisktoleranceHigh-riskbehaviorRiskperception:Theories,strategiesandnextsteps3Itisalsopossiblethatapersonhastheabilitytoaccurately...
