Perception of Technological Risks: The Effect of Confrontation

Maderthaner, R., Pahner, P.D., Guttmann, G., & Otway, H.J. (1976). Perception of Technological Risks: The Effect of Confrontation. IIASA Research Memorandum. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: RM-76-053

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Abstract

The response of the individual to potentially threatening situations is based upon his perception of the hazard involved. In this pilot study, 148 subjects were asked to quantitatively rank the hazard they felt to be involved in living near seven different types of technological facility. The subjects were divided into four groups: AN, living about 500 m away from a research reactor; AF, living about 1.4 km away from this reactor; two small groups living at similar distances from a district heating facility and a control group about 10 km distant from both facilities.

All groups, except AN, found the item "nuclear reactor" to be the most hazardous (total sample, 3.1 on a 4 point scale). Group AN (N = 32) found this item to be the third most hazardous, 2.88/4.0; group AF (N = 31) rated the item 3.55/4.0. The difference in this response between groups AN and AF is highly significant (Mann-Whitney U-test p <= 1%). Several explanations for this finding are discussed.

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