Public Risk Perception Research Articles

Do environmental attitudes affect public acceptance of key enabling technologies? Assessing the influence of environmental awareness and trust on public perceptions about nanotechnology

Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) play a crucial role in modern societies due to their substantial contribution to cleaner production, sustainable development, and societal well-being across industrial sectors. However, to prompt the successful deployment of such technologies in diverse societal and market contexts, public acceptance constitutes a crucial requirement. As public knowledge of KETs is often limited, “cognitive shortcuts” – such as attitudes and personal beliefs – play a crucial role in shaping public opinion about enabling technologies. Drawing on the case of nanotechnology, the paper advances that environmental attitudes contribute to shape layman's perceptions about novel enabling technologies. Based on data collected from a survey of Italian citizens, the study investigates the influence of environmental awareness on public perceptions of benefits and risks of nanotechnology. By means of hierarchical regression equations, the study also tests the moderation of public trust in the environmental commitment of societal actors deemed responsible for nanotechnology development – i.e. high-tech companies, governmental agencies and research universities. The results show that environmental awareness positively relates with both perceived benefits and risks of nanotechnology, while the different effects of trust are contingent upon the actor in which trust is put. The contribution of the study point to the role of public trust in shaping perceptions of novel technology: the study's implications for practice thus inform the development of information strategies aimed at supporting the acceptance of KETs among the larger public.

Public Risk Perception, Emotional Contagion, and Persuasive Mechanisms in the Yiling Pharmaceutical Price Increase Incident

Public Risk Perception, Emotional Contagion, and Persuasive Mechanisms in the Yiling Pharmaceutical Price Increase Incident

К вопросу об общественной приемлемости проектов по захоронению РАО

The paper considers the issues associated with sustainable public acceptance of an ultra-long-term project on the development of a radioactive waste deep disposal facility in the Krasnoyarsk Region. It discusses the findings of a nationwide online survey focused radioactive waste disposal and the perception of relevant radiation hazards. The paper explores the deep roots causing inadequate public perception of radiation risks, as well as the disappointing results of many-year informative campaigns and the ICRP's enhanced approach to public dialogue as a possible way out of this communication impasse.

Vulnerabilities and risk perceptions of contracting COVID-19 among Nepali migrant workers

Social, economic, and demographic characteristics influence public disaster risk perception, including the risk of COVID-19. Migrant workers are one the most vulnerable groups to disasters. More than four million Nepali migrant workers are employed abroad, and millions are working in cities and towns in the country. This study analyzes how the social, economic, and demographic conditions of returning Nepali migrant workers determine their risk perceptions of COVID-19. An online national survey was administered from May 10 to July 30, 2020, targeting returning Nepali migrant workers nationwide. A total of 782 responses from migrant workers were recorded, covering 67 of 74 districts. Using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression models, the results show that migrant workers in blue-collar jobs, female, older than 29 years, with pre-existing health conditions, from low-income families, and from larger families are more likely to perceive higher risks of COVID-19. The migrant workers who believe in non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 control measures, including awareness campaigns and stay-at-home orders, have higher risk perceptions of the virus than other groups. The research contributes to identifying the program and policy priority areas to address the needs and COVID-19 vulnerabilities of returning Nepali migrant workers during and after the pandemic.

Estimando os efeitos da adesão a cooperativas no comportamento de reciclagem de resíduos de embalagens de pesticidas dos agricultores: dados de produtores de maçã da China

ABSTRACT: The improper disposal of pesticide packaging wastes (PPW) has posed serious harm to the environment, including groundwater and soil pollution and even health concerns to the public. To address the environmental concerns and public health issues, there is a need to recycle the pesticides packaging waste (RPPW). Though small farmers in many developing countries have joined the cooperatives to reduce the production costs and increase the product premium, how these cooperatives improve farmers’ RPPW behaviors is still sparse. The current study used data collected from 725 apple farmers in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces of China to explore the phenomenon empirically. Recycling decisions and degree are used to portray the farmers’ RPPW behaviors. Firstly, the Logit model was used to analyze the effect of joining cooperatives on farmers’ recycling decisions. Further, to address the sample selection bias, the present study employed the propensity score matching (PSM) method for empirical analysis concerning the effect of joining cooperatives on farmers’ recycling degree. Results showed that joining cooperatives positively and significantly influences farmers’ recycling decisions. If farmers join a cooperative, the probability of the recycling decisions and degree will increase by 20.30% and 27.50%, respectively. Moreover, it is also found that some other factors such as education level, environmental and public health risk perception, peer effect, and relationship network also significantly influence farmers’ recycling decisions. Moreover, considering the differences in farmers’ gender, age, and educational attainment, the study unveiled the heterogeneous effects of joining cooperatives on farmers’ RPPW behaviors. The findings revealed that gender and age variables have noticeable masking effects while education level has a typical threshold effect. The overall findings provided insights for policymakers to emphasize the development of agricultural cooperatives, improve the risk and interest linkage mechanism, and build the RPPW system. These implications are also supportive for policymakers in other developing countries.

Public opinion risk on major emergencies: A textual analysis

This paper analyzes the evolution trend of public opinion risk during the epidemic in Shanghai, China, from the online public opinion risk perspective. The article first uses a dictionary to identify public opinion data risks. Then it employs deep learning models to analyze the sentiment of public opinion, from which the magnitude of public opinion risks is portrayed. The study identifies four significant public opinion risks and some sub-risks during the Shanghai epidemic in China. It summarizes the corresponding risk dictionary, finding that the development of the coronavirus pandemic promotes the public perception of risks and that there are significant differences in public opinion risks during different periods of the pandemic. The univariate experiments proved the driving effect of epidemic development on public opinion risk.

How Outrage Can be Quantified in Risk Assessment

In the article the problem how an emotional state influences quantitative risk profile is discussed. Risk as a concept enhances two equivalent dimensions. The first dimension relates to experts’ risk assessment. The second one is related to public risk perception, named outrage. One can understand outrage as the emotional state concerning risk. Five different degrees of hazardous situations are described and public emotional attitude towards them is analyzed by structured interview. A correlation between the emotional attitude and readiness to act is calculated to describe amplification of risk by the emotional state. Then a risk profile is constructed.

Public risk perceptions, emotions and behaviours under a major epidemic: A structural equation model analysis.

To explore the relationships between public risk perceptions, emotions and behaviours during a major epidemic. Exploratory cross-sectional design. The 701 subjects were surveyed using self-administered questionnaires, including the General Information Questionnaire, Public Risk Perceptions Questionnaire, Public Emotions Questionnaire and Public Behaviours Questionnaire. The results were analysed using structural equation modelling, and mediated effects were probed at the same time. The median of the total scores of the Public Risk Perceptions Questionnaire was 70, the median of the total scores of the Public Emotions Questionnaire was 65 and the median of the total scores of the Public Behaviours Questionnaire was 83. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficient ρ between public risk perceptions and emotions was 0.26 (p < 0.01); the correlation coefficient ρ between risk perceptions and behaviours was 0.36 (p < 0.01); and the correlation coefficient ρ between emotions and behaviours was 0.37 (p < 0.01). After many rounds of correction, the final model was established, the fit was good, and the results of the mediating effect analysis showed that the level of public risk perceptions under a major epidemic had a direct positive effect on public emotions (β=0.41, p < 0.01) and public behaviours (β=0.51, p < 0.01). The level of public risk perceptions also had an indirect positive effect on behaviours by affecting public emotions (β=0.11), while public emotions had a direct positive effect on public behaviours (β=0.27, p < 0.01). Our findings revealed that public perceptions and public emotions directly influenced public behaviours. Additionally, public perceptions can indirectly influence public behaviours through public emotions.

Lay–Expert Risk Perception Divide: Downscaling Global Problems to National Concerns

In the modern world, risks are complex and systemic, and their effects are interconnected with the transformations in different layers of social systems. Global issues are not necessarily reflected in local contexts, and public perceptions of risks may differ significantly from expert assessments. The aim of the article is to reveal the differences between the opinions of the Lithuanian population and experts on economic, environmental, technological, geopolitical and social risks, and to compare the differences between the opinions of local experts and Lithuanian public and the assessments of experts from the Global Risk Reports. The article presents the results of a representative survey of the Lithuanian population and an online survey of municipal experts. The results of the study show that expert and population perceptions quite often coincide, especially in the case of social and economic threats. The biggest discrepancies, when the experts assessed the risks as higher than the population, were revealed in the cases of COVID-19, floods, forest fires, energy disruptions, and the mines from war legacy. Public identified higher risks than experts in the case of traffic accidents, illegal tracking of persons, illegal use of bank accounts/cards, Astravets NPP, and increase in prices. In the perception of risks of Lithuanian population and municipal experts in 2020–2021 economic and social risks dominated, and global risks with long-term effects, such as ecological or geopolitical, were not reflected in the local perceptions.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Quantify the Human Disaster Risk Perception and Its Influence on the Population at Risk: A Case Study of Longchi Town, China.

Understanding disaster risk perception is vital for community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR). This study was set to investigate the correlations between disaster risk perception and the population at risk. To address this research question, the current study conducted an interdisciplinary approach: a household survey for measuring variables and constructed an Agent-based model for simulating the population at risk. Therefore, two correlations were defined, (1) between risk perception and willingness to evacuate, and (2) between willingness to evacuate and the population at risk. The willingness to evacuate was adopted as a mediator to determine the relationship between risk perception and the population at risk. The results show that the residents generally have a higher risk perception and willingness to evacuate because the study area frequently suffered from debris flow and flash floods. A positive correlation was found between risk perception and willingness to evacuate, and a negative correlation to the population at risk. However, a marginal effect was observed when raising public risk perception to reduce the number of the population at risk. This study provides an interdisciplinary approach to measuring disaster risk perception at the community level and helps policymakers select the most effective ways to reduce the population at risk.

Pre-rainy Season Rainstorms in South China—Risk Perception of the 11 April 2019 Rainstorm in Shenzhen City

With the acceleration of urbanization in South China, rainstorms and floods are threatening the safety of people in urban areas. The 11 April 2019 (4·11 hereafter) rainstorm in Shenzhen City was a typical pre-rainy season rainstorm that caused great damage, yet such pre-rainy season events have not attracted sufficient attention in research. Risk perception of the public may indirectly affect their disaster preparedness, which is important for disaster management. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey that considered demographic factors and the level of risk perception, knowledge of risk, impact of the 4·11 rainstorm event on public risk perception, and degree of trust in the government. We used a two-factor model of risk perception to evaluate the factors that influenced public risk perception of the 4·11 rainstorm in Shenzhen. The main conclusions are: The 4·11 rainstorm improved public awareness of both risk and impact through the medium term, but the public’s perceived low probability of disaster occurrence and lack of knowledge of the pre-rainy season rainstorm phenomenon led to serious losses during this event. Although the public has high trust in the Shenzhen government, the management of rainstorm disasters in the pre-rainy season needs to be further improved.

Illness Risk Perceptions and Efficacy Beliefs Among Indonesian in the Course of COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19, a worldwide pandemic, has posed a significant challenge to public health systems worldwide. Health risk perception and efficacy belief are primary constructs influencing individuals' protective behavior due to the outbreak. Our study investigated each item of illness risk perception, efficacy belief, and its related factors concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 227 respondents aged 17 to 70. Data collection was conducted using convenience sampling by distributing the web questionnaire between April and July 2020. Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis bivariate analysis was performed using SPSS version 21.0 to assess the relationship between individual characteristic factors, illness risk perception, and efficacy belief. The study established that respondents had a medium to a high level of illness risk perception and a reasonable efficacy belief in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Region (p=0.027) and occupation (p=0.036) differences were significantly associated with the threat and severity perception, respectively. Smoking history (p=0.037), supplement use (p=0.029), and occupation (p=0.018) differences were significantly associated with self-efficacy. Meanwhile, gender (p=0.045) differences were significantly associated with response efficacy. Therefore, the public's illness risk perception and efficacy belief could be substantial in planning, modifying, and implementing a coordinated response for risk communication in current and future epidemics.

The effects of public service motivation, risk propensity and risk perception on defensive decision-making in public administrations

PurposeDrawing on the literature on public service motivation, the authors investigate the relationship between public service motivation and defensive decision-making. Further, the authors explore risk propensity and risk perception as potential antecedents of defensive decision-making.Design/methodology/approachBased on survey data from 144 German public financial managers of municipalities and federal agencies, the authors find no significant direct relationship between public service motivation and defensive decision-making.FindingsHowever, the authors can show that risk propensity fully mediates the relationship between public service motivation and defensive decision-making. The findings also indicate that beyond the public service motivation and individual risk propensity of public financial managers, their risk perception does influence their decision making.Originality/valueThe study makes three contributions to the literature. First, the authors contribute to the relatively small amount of research on the risk-taking behaviour of public managers by explaining the indirect impact of PSM on their risk-taking behaviour. Second, this paper furthers the understanding of the influence of risk perception and risk propensity on decision-making and enhances the models of Sitkin and Pablo (1992) and Sitkin and Weingart (1995). Third, the paper also contributes to the call for more international research on German public administrations.

Examining radiation emergency preparedness among the citizens of Busan, South Korea: Based on the IDEA framework

Developing a comprehensive radiation emergency preparedness plan is as crucial as effectively communicating it to the public. This study used a survey of citizens in Busan, South Korea, where seven nuclear power plants (NPPs) are located in close proximity, to examine their radiation emergency preparedness levels. Specifically, on the basis of the internalization, distribution, explanation, action (IDEA) model, this study investigated the public's risk perceptions, frequent and trusted communication sources, and awareness of the radiation emergency preparedness plan designed by their local government. Results showed that all these variables are significantly associated with individuals' radiation emergency preparedness levels. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Coping with Coronavirus Pandemic: Risk Perception Predicts Life Optimism.

Given that the coronavirus pandemic has become a severe concern worldwide, how can optimism be maintained during an outbreak of a collective pandemic? We propose that perceived control and negative affect could be potential explanatory factors for optimism in the face of a pandemic. In Study 1 (N = 599), through a large-scale cross-sectional design, we showed the indirect effect of risk perception on optimism through perceived control and negative affect with structural equation modeling. In Study 2 (N = 191), we manipulated perceived risk of the pandemic and determined that experiencing a high-risk pandemic psychologically led to decreased optimism. Finally, through Study 3 (N = 186) and Study 4 (N = 217), we revealed that the effect of risk perception on optimism can be extended to overall subjective well-being and confirmed the indirect effects via perceived control and negative affect. These findings indicate that risk perception can make a difference in one's life optimism during a high-risk pandemic. Moreover, perceived control and negative affect are notable intermediary variables. Measures that strengthen publicity and transparency regarding recovery rates should be taken to help reduce public perceptions of risk and promote an optimistic life attitude.

Climate change-related knowledge and attitudes among a sample of the general population in Egypt.

Identifying the public awareness and risk perception regarding climate change, are fundamental preliminary steps in determining gaps and paving the way for awareness campaigns that address climate change causes and counteraction mitigation measures. However, few studies were conducted in Egypt; thus, the researchers conducted the current cross-sectional study among a sample of the Egyptian population to identify general knowledge and perception about climate change and its effects, as well as attitudes toward mitigation measures. An exploratory population-based electronic-open survey, was conducted among 527 members of the general population between January and April 2022, using a convenience sampling technique. A pre-tested 2-page (screen) electronic included three sections: sociodemographic characteristics, global warming/climate change-related knowledge, and attitude toward climate change mitigation. The average global warming knowledge score was 12 ± 3. More than 70% (71.1%) of the participants were knowledgeable (percentage score >70%). Approximately half of the enrolled participants (48.2%) agreed that everyone is vulnerable to the effects of global warming/climate change. More than three-quarters (78.3%) of the participants agreed that carbon emissions from vehicles and industrial methane emissions were the first factors that contributed to climate change, followed by the ozone holes (731%). Global warming/climate change-related knowledge was statistically higher in participants aged of >30 years, married participants, urban residents, highly educated individuals, and employed individuals (p-value ≤ 0.05). Approximately 80% of the participants agreed that responding to the questionnaire drew their attention to the topic of climate change and its effects. More than two-thirds of those polled agreed that increasing public transportation use could help mitigate the effects of climate change/global warming, followed by the materials used and the direction of construction. More than two-thirds of the participants were knowledgeable regarding climate change. Social media and the internet were the main sources of information. However, participants need to get the information in a different way that could help in changing their attitude positively toward the issue of climate change mitigation. The current study recommends the need for various initiatives that work should be launched.

Public Risk Perception Attribution Model and Governance Path in COVID-19: A Perspective Based on Risk Information

Risk perception is a key factor influencing the public's behavioral response to major public health events. The research on public risk perception promotes the emergency management system to adapt to the needs of modern development. This article is based on a risk information perspective, using the COVID-19 event as an example. From the micro and macro perspectives, the influencing factors of public risk perception in major public health events in China are extracted, and the attribution model and index system of public risk perception are established. In this paper, the five-level Likert scale is used to collect and measure the risk perception variable questionnaire through the combination of online and offline methods (a total of 550 questionnaires, the overall Alpha coefficient of the questionnaire is 0.955, and the KMO test coefficient t=0.941), and through independent samples t-test, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and other methods to draw relevant conclusions. The results showed that gender and age were significantly associated with risk perception (p<0.005), and education level was significantly negatively associated with risk perception (p <0 0.005). Risk information attention and risk perception were significantly positively correlated (p<0.005), media credibility was significantly positively correlated with risk perception (p<0.005), while risk information identification and media exposure had no significant interaction with risk perception (p=0.125, p=0.352). Factors such as gender, age, education level, place of residence, media exposure, media credibility, risk information attention, and recognition lead to different levels of risk perception. This conclusion helps to provide a basis for relevant departments to conduct public risk management of major public health events based on differences in risk perceptions.

Individual characteristics or cultures? Public risk perception in the coronavirus pandemic

Public risk perception varies by sub-groups but is key in a robust risk management. This study uses the Grid Group Cultural Theory (GGCT) to test how cultures, compared to subjective knowledge level and demographic factors, influence three measures of public risk perception—perceived risk to individuals themselves, the place they live, and China. This study uses an original survey conducted from February 17 to March 14, 2020 during the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19). This research found that age and household income correlate positively with perceived risk to individuals themselves, and education and household income correlate positively with perceived risk to the place they live, whereas egalitarian and hierarchical cultural indices correlate positively with the perceived risk to China. Further tests of interactive effect of culture and individual characteristics on risk perceptions found that the effect of hierarchy on risk perceptions depends on household income.

Role of risk perception and government regulation in reducing over-utilization of veterinary antibiotics: Evidence from hog farmers of China

Antibiotic residues and resistance caused by farmers' overuse of veterinary antibiotics have severely damaged global food safety, the ecological environment, and public health. How to lessen the overutilization of antibiotics is of prime concern nowadays; however, the existing literature has paid little attention. So, to fill this gap, the current study explores the role of risk perception and government regulation in reducing the over-utilization of veterinary antibiotics by gathering data from 675 hog farmers in the Hebei, Henan, Hubei, and Shandong provinces of China. The Heckman two-stage model is employed to explore the phenomenon. Meanwhile, risk perception is categorized into food security risk perception (FSRP), ecological security risk perception (ESRP), and public health risk perception (PHRP), and government regulation is measured from antibiotic prescribed policy (APP), withdrawal period policy (WPP), and antibiotic recorded policy (ARP). The results showed that the PHRP (ODC: ME = -0.073, SE = 0.018; ODG: ME = -0.125, SE = 0.047) significantly inhibits farmers' overuse of antibiotics. In contrast, the ESRP and PHRP have not shown significant results in influencing farmers' overuse of antibiotics. Moreover, the APP (ODC: ME = -0.035, SE = 0.016; ODG: ME = -0.088, SE = 0.040) and WPP (ODC: ME = -0.072, SE = 0.039; ODG: ME = -0.175, SE = 0.097) significantly reduce antibiotics overuse, but the influence of the ARP on farmers' antibiotics overuse is not apparent. Further, a moderating effect model is used to analyze the moderating effect of government regulation on farmers' overuse of antibiotics influenced by risk perception. The results showed that the APP (ODC: ME = -0.041, SE = 0.012; ODG: ME = -0.075, SE = 0.018) and WPP (ODC: ME = -0.058, SE = 0.015; ODG: ME = -0.076, SE = 0.019) positively influence farmers' overuse of antibiotics impacted by public health risk perception. In contrast, the ARP has no positive reinforcement effect. Finally, the study proposes that government should devolve the supervision power to veterinarians, strengthen the regulation policy advocacy, conduct training programs for farmers regarding skills to use antibiotics, and strengthen biosafety measures.

The effect of air pollution on Chinese green bond market: The mediation role of public concern

Green bonds are becoming increasingly important in sustainable investments since their environmental protection attributes allow them to benefit from environmental degradation. However, the mechanism of environmental degradation on green bonds has not yet been studied. This study proposes a mediation model to analyze air pollution's influence on green bonds. Theoretically, air pollution leads to increased public concern through public environmental awareness and perceptions of physical health risks. Enhanced public concern drives investors' green preference and environmental responsibility, thus expanding green bond demand, in which public concern plays an important mediation role. To verify the mediating effect, causal stepwise regression and bootstrap methods are used. The empirical results confirm this theoretical mechanism. Air pollution is significantly positively related to public concern. Public concern is positively linked with green bond investment willingness, resulting in increased volatility. The total positive effect of air pollution on green bonds is partly absorbed by the mediating effect of public concern that is significantly positive and reaches 30.21% of the total effect. In addition, major crisis events (e.g., COVID-19) may hinder the positive mediation process by generating a negative trend and distracting the public. This means that the government could propose appropriate measures to minimize the negative aspects in order to promote green finance. The mediation model is also useful for investors wishing to increase green assets in their portfolios and provides an incentive for businesses to promote green finance.