Download Chapter 11 Risk Communication

Chapter 11
Risk Communication
Key Terms and Definition
Evolution of Risk Communication
Ethical use of Risk Communication
Outrage and Risk Communication
Key Terms
• Hazards are “events or physical conditions
that have the potential to cause fatalities,
injuries, property damage, infrastructure
damage, agricultural loss, damage to the
environment, interruption of business, or
other types of harm or loss” (Multihazard,
1997).
Key Terms
• Risk is the potential to do harm or more
generally the potential exposure to loss.
• The “potential” of a risk can be quantified as a
threat.
• Risk = Likelihood X Consequences
Key Terms
• Risk assessment are efforts to quantify the
risk.
Types of Risk
• Natural risks such as severe weather.
• Actions of others such as producing hazardous
waste.
• Lifestyle choices such as unsafe sex.
Sandman’s Take on Risk
• Risk = Hazard + Outrage
• Hazard involves the statistics that quantify the
risk in terms of likelihood and consequences
(what other experts termed risk).
• Outrage is all the other elements that
constituents link to the risk.
• The point: risk evaluation has strong
subjective element to it.
Risk as Part of Life
• We face many risks each day.
• Risk communication enters the equation when
people are or should be thinking about the
risk threats they face.
• You are a risk bearer when you are exposed to
a particular risk.
SARA: Birth of Risk Communication
• 1984: chemical release from Union Carbide
facility in Bhopal, India kills over 3,800 people.
• 1986: U.S. passes the Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA).
• SARA includes a requirement for risk
communication, the Emergency Planning and
Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986.
• Certain corporations in U.S. must engage in
risk communication.
Risk Communication Defined
• “a community infrastructure, transactional
communication process among individuals
and organizations regarding the character,
cause, degree, significance, uncertainty,
control, and overall perception of risk”
(Palanchar, 2005, p. 752).
Exploring the Definition
• Risk communication is a dialogue between
organizations creating risks and the
constituents that must bear the risk.
• The community infrastructure approach seeks
to build and maintain the risk discussion.
• Risk bearers have a say in decisions and feel
they are a viable part of the process.
Key Factors in Risk Communication
• Support for an organization even when it
creates risk.
• Uncertainty about the risk.
• Seek information when risk is somehow
personal.
• Acceptance of a risk.
• Knowledge about the risk.
Key Factors in Risk Communication
• Trust in the parties involved in risk
communication.
• Control of the risk.
– Constituents have some control over risk.
– Constituents believe management of organization
have some control over the risk.
Risk Communication Evolution
Three stages of risk communication:
1. Source-oriented
2. Persuasion
3. Dialogue
Source-oriented
• Source-oriented or technical information
model with an emphasis on quantifying risk
estimates.
• If people understand the risk they would
accept the risk.
• Focus on technical information about risks.
• It failed.
Persuasion
• Persuade risk bearers to increase their
acceptance of the risk and support for the
organization.
• Realization of the importance of risk bearers.
• Community concerns ignored, they were
targets not partners.
Dialogue
• Seeks understanding between organizations
and risk bearers.
• Effort to understand what risk means to risk
bearers and the community concerns.
• Community is part of decision making about
the risk.
Ethical Use of Risk Communication
• Develop emergency response measures designed
to mitigate severe outcomes from a possible risk
event.
• Appreciate and try to understand that people will
want to exert control over potentially negative
effects.
• Acknowledge that risk assessments are uncertain.
• Community members should be active
participants in decision-making systems about
risk assessment and risk management.
Ethical Use of Risk Communication
• Trust with community members is built over time
through collaboration and community outreach.
• Communications should address both the harms
and benefits involved.
• Develop an appreciation of how the community
values and how they are experiencing the risks.
• Try to understand how community members are
approaching the decision making process and
adjust the risk assessment frame to match their
perspective.
Risk Communication Outcomes
1. Awareness of risk.
2. Protective actions.
3. Correct overestimates of risk.
Awareness
• Constituents must know the risks they face.
• Sometimes people do not know they are at
risk.
Protective Actions
• Constituents must know what to do when the
risk occurs.
• People learn how to protect themselves.
• Protective actions add to a sense of control.
• Constituents realize there are actions they can
take to reduce their threat from the risk.
Protective Action in Action
• Shelter-in-place
• People learn
– What it is
– When it is needed
– How to do it properly
Overestimation of Risk
• Constituents see a risk as much greater than it
really is.
• Produces outrage.
• Goal is outrage management through
reducing the perceived threat from the risk.
• Must listen to understand why the problem
exists.
• Seek to have risk evaluation of people match
the technical evaluation.
Dynamic of Outrage Management
• Constituents outraged over a risk.
• Some factor has started the outrage.
• Risk creating organization makes substantive
changes designed to address the outrage.
• Changes are communicated to the
constituents.
• Outrage lessens if organization meets the
demands of its critics.
Risk Communication Best Practices
• Involve constituents as partners in the risk
communication process by granting them power
in the decision making process.
• Listen to the constituents to understand their
concerns about the risk. Find out what they
know about the risk, how they feel about the risk,
and what they want done about the risk.
• Part of listening involves validating the emotions
the risks evoke from constituents. Their
emotions are real and should not be dismissed or
ignored.
Risk Communication Best Practices
• Acknowledge when there is uncertainty about
the risk. There are times when science cannot
provide specific risk assessments. Be honest
when the science is unclear or perhaps
contradictory. The uncertainty provides an
opportunity to engage constituents because
uncertainty is motivator for seeking
information and being involved in the risk
communication process (Covello, 2003).
Risk Communication Best Practices
• Be honest and open with information. Do not try
to minimize or exaggerate a risk and release all
information as soon as possible (Communicating,
2002; Palanchar & Heath, 2007).
• Avoid technical language. Present the risk
information in ways constituents can understand.
Graphs and other visuals can help to explain risk
information (Covello, 2003).
Individual Risk
• Why do people engage in risky behavior?
• Answer: sensation seeking.
• Some people are driven by the need for novel,
varied, complex, and intense experiences.
Problem Behavior Theory
• Risky behaviors are a function of the interaction
between three systems: personality,
environment, and behavior.
• Sensation seeking is a key component of the
personality system.
• The environment system includes peers and
parental approval.
• The behavior system includes specific actions
including problem behaviors and conventional
behaviors.
Reflection Points
• When is risk communication not pro-social?
• What are the ethical implications for
overhyping a risk? Is it ever justifiable?
• What are the ethical implications of
underplaying a risk? Is it ever justifiable?
Reflection Points
• What are half-truths and how are they
used/misused in risk communication?
• How are worlds and symbols used to
manipulate perceptions of risk?
• How can risk bearers use risk communication
to fight against risks?
Reflection Points
• What is environmental injustice?
• What is environmental justice and why is it
needed?
• How can risk communication help to improve
society and the lives of constituents?