Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Influence Factors and Mechanism of Societal Risk Perception

  • Conference paper
Complex Sciences (Complex 2009)

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

Risk perception is one of important subjects in management psychology and cognitive psychology. It is of great value in the theory and practice to investigate the societal hazards that the public cares a lot especially in Socio-economic transition period. A survey including 30 hazards and 6 risk attributes was designed and distributed to about 2, 485 residents of 8 districts, Beijing. The major findings are listed as following: Firstly, a scale of societal risk perception was designed and 2 factors were identified (Dread Risk & Unknown Risk). Secondly, structural equation model was used to analyze the influence factors and mechanism of societal risk perception. Risk preference, government support and social justice could influence societal risk perception directly. Government support fully moderated the relationship between government trust and societal risk perception. Societal risk perception influenced life satisfaction, public policy preferences and social development belief.

Preparation of this article was supported by a grant of National Natural Science Foundation of China: “Pre-warning model of psychological behavior and crisis management strategies”, the grant No. is 70573108.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Starr, C.: Social benefit versus technological risk. Science. In: Stern, P., Fienberg, H. (eds.) Understanding risk: informing decisions in a democratic society, pp. 1232–1240. National Academy Press, Washington (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Slovic, P., Fischoff, B., Lichtenstein, S.: Facts and fears: understanding perceived risk. In: Schwing, R.C., Albers, W.A. (eds.) Societal risk assessment: how safe is safe enough? Plenum, New York (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Slovic, P.: Perception of risk. Science 236, 280–285 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Fischoff, B., Lichteinstein, S., Slovic, O., Derby, S., Keeney, R.: Acceptable risk. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lowrance, W.: Acceptable Risk: Science and the Determination of Safety. W. Kaufman, Los Altos (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Slovic, P.: Perception of risk. Science 236, 280–285 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Fischhoff, B., Bostrom, A., Quadrel, M.J.: Risk perception and communication. In: Detels, R., Holland, W.W., McEwen, J., Omenn, G.S. (eds.) Oxford Textbook of Public Health, vol. 2, pp. 987–1002. Oxford University Press, New York (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Slovic, P.: The perception of risk. Risk, Society and Policy Series. Earthscan Publications Ltd., London (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Teigen, K.H., Brun, W., Slovic, P.: Societal risks a seen by the Norwegian public. Journal of Behavioural Decision Making 1, 111–130 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Goszczynska, M., Tyszka, T., Slovic, P.: Risk perception in Poland: A comparison with three other countries. Journal of Behavioural Decision Making 4, 179–193 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Savadori, L., Rumiati, R., Bonini, N.: Expertise and regional differences in risk perception: The case of Italy. Swiss Journal of Psychology 57(2), 101–113 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Karpowicz-Lazerg, C., Mullet, E.: Societal risk as seen by the French public. Risk Analysis 13, 253–258 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Nicol´as, C., Bronfman, C., Cifuentes, L.A.: Risk Perception in a Developing Country: The Case of Chile. Risk Analysis 23(6), 1271–1285 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Keown, C.F.: Risk perceptions of Hong Kongese vs. Americans. Risk Analysis 9, 410–405 (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Zhang, J.: Environmental hazards in the Chinese public’s eyes. Risk Analysis 14, 163–167 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lai, J.C.L., Tao, J.: Perception of environmental hazards in Hong Kong Chinese. Risk Analysis 23, 669–684 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yu, Q.Y., Xie, X.F.: Characteristics of Environment Risk Perception. Psychological Science. 29(2), 362–365 (2006) (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Xie, X.F., Xu, L.C.: An example research of risk perception in social condition. Psychological Science 21, 315–318 (1998) (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Xie, X.F., Xu, L.C.: Survey on Public’s risk perception. Psychological Science 25(6), 723–318 (2002) (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Liu, J.P., Huang, H.Q., Zhou, G.Y.: Risk Perception Construct of City Citizens. Psychological Science 29(6), 1439–1444 (2006) (in Chinese)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  21. Weber, E.U., Blais, A.R., Betz, N.E.: A Domain-specific Risk- attitude Scale: Measuring Risk Perceptions and Risk Behaviors. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making 15, 263–290 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Gerber, B.J., Neeley, G.W.: Perceived Risk and Citizen Preferences for Governmental Management of Routine Hazards. The Policy Studies Journal 33(3), 395–417 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Desvousges, W.H., Kunreuther, H., Slovic, P., Rosa, E.A.: Perceived Risk Attitudes toward Nuclear Wastes: National and Nevada Perspectives. In: Dunlap, R.E., Kraft, M.E., Rosa, E.A. (eds.) Public Reactions to Nuclear Waste: Citizens’Views of Repository Siting, Duke University Press, Durham (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kraft, M.E., Rosa, E.A., Dunlap, R.E.: Public Opinion and Nuclear Waste Policymaking. In: Dunlap, R.E., Kraft, M.E., Rosa, E.A. (eds.) Public Reactions to Nuclear Waste: Citizens’ Views of Repository Siting, pp. 3–31. Duke University Press, Durham (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sjöberg, L., Moen, B.E., Rundmo, T.: Explaining risk perception. An evaluation of the psychometric paradigm in risk perception research (Rotunde publications 84). Trondheim (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Slovic, P., James, F., Layman, M.: Perceived Risk, Trust, and the Politics of Nuclear Waste. Science 254(5038), 1603–1610 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Pollak, R.A.: Government Risk Regulation. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 545(5), 25–34 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Kasperson, R.E., Dominic, G., Tuler, S.: Social Distrust as a Factor in Siting Hazardous Facilities and Communicating Risks. Journal of Social Issues 48(4), 161–188 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Renn, O., William, J.B., Kasperson, J.X.: The Social Amplification of Risk: Theoretical Foundations and Empirical Foundations. Journal of Social Issues 48(4), 137–197 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Siegrist, M., George, T.C., Heinz, G.: Shared Values, Social Trust, and the Perception of Geographic Cancer Clusters. Risk Analysis 21(6), 1047–1053 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Sjöberg, L.: Limits of Knowledge and the Limited Importance of Trust. Risk Analysis 21(1), 189–198 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Weber, E.U., Christopher, H.: Cross-Cultural Differences in Risk Perception, but Cross- Cultural Similarities in Attitudes towards Perceived Risk 44(9), 1205–1217 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Lerner, M.J., Miller, D.T.: Just world research and the attribution process: Looking back and ahead. Psychological Bulletin 85, 1030–1051 (1978)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Hafer, C.L., Olson, J.M.: Beliefs in a just world, discontent and assertive actions by working women. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 19, 30–38 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Dalbert, C.: The World is More Just for Me than Generally: About the Personal Belief in a Just World Scale’s Validity. Social Justice Research 12(2), 79–98 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Boholm, A.: Comparative studies of risk perception: a review of twenty years of research. Journal of Risk Research 1(2), 135–163 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Siegrist, M.: The Influence of Trust and Perceptions of Risks and Benefits on the Acceptance of Gene Technology. Risk Analysis 20(2), 195–203 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Beck, U., Giddens, A., Lash, S.: Reflexive Modernization: Politics, Tradition and Aesthetics in the Modern Social Order, pp. 1–55. Polity Press, Cambridge (1994)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China

    Rui Zheng, Kan Shi & Shu Li

  2. Graduate University of Chinese of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100080, Beijing, China

    Rui Zheng, Kan Shi & Shu Li

Authors
  1. Rui Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kan Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shu Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Network Technology Research Centre, Research Techno Plaza, Nanyang Technology University, 4th story X‘Frontiers, Block 50 Nanyang Drive, 637553, Singapore

    Jie Zhou

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 ICST Institute for Computer Science, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering

About this paper

Cite this paper

Zheng, R., Shi, K., Li, S. (2009). The Influence Factors and Mechanism of Societal Risk Perception. In: Zhou, J. (eds) Complex Sciences. Complex 2009. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 5. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02469-6_104

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02469-6_104

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-02468-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-02469-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation