Risk Focus Report 10: Public Interpretation of Risk Information

Decisions and Actions

Author(s): Tim Prior, Michel Herzog
Series: Risk and Resilience Reports
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich
Publication Year: 2015

The report explores the relationship between risk communication and public decision making regarding risk. This topic is of central interest to risk communicators given that the gap between risk messages and public behaviour is widely recognised, but nevertheless remains difficult to manage. Effectively communicating risk mitigation and hazard adaptation strategies to the at-risk public is a fundamental goal and role of risk management organisations globally. Appreciating why formal risk messages do not always result in the intended risk protective behaviour is therefore as important to the risk communicator as technical knowledge about risk, its probability of occurrence, and the consequences for society.

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