Perceived Risk from a Manmade Invisible Threat Compared to the Perceived Risk of Other Hazards, and Data Gathering Format When Studying Threat Perception. Arnfinn Tønnessen, Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), Radiation Medicine Department, Pilestredet 46, 0167 OSLO, NORWAY, Tel. + 47 22 59 18 13, Fax. + 47 22 46 13 04
As a part of an European research project about risk perception and risk communication concerning radiation risk there are done cross cultural surveys in five European countries (see Professor Sjöbergs presentation for more details).
A general descriptive overview of the main findings in Norway from the first wave of the surveys will be given. This will include comparisons of the perceived threat from different hazards, with a special focus on the issue of risk associated with ionizing radiation.
One research problem is the mode for data gathering. With for instance postal administered questionnaires about perceived risk, will the respondents who reply have a special interest in the risks studied? Is there any special characteristics with the risk perception of the 30-40% of samples that usually do not reply?
In the present study the design in Norway tries to combine the formats of self administrated questionnaires and personal interviews done as a part of a usual omnibus survey. The self administered questionnaire is handed out to the respondents at the end of the personal interviewee.
This presentation will try to compare responders versus non responders on variables collected in the personal interviewee.