Hazard Personality Profiles and Individual Differences. J. Barnett and G.M. Breakwell, Social Psychology European Research Institute Psychology Dept., University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH, e-mail j.barnett@surrey.ac.uk, telephone +44(0)1483 300800 ext. 2898, fax +44(0)1483 532813
The dominance of the "psychometric paradigm" and the consequent emphasis on identifying the qualities related to a hazard's perceived risk has resulted in little attention being given to individual variations in the acceptance of such `personality profiles' of hazards. Attempts to locate sources of variability have largely focused on social, cultural and institutional factors (Turner & Wynne, 1992; Sjöberg, 1995). Less attention has been paid to the role of intra-individual differences (Myers, Henderson-King, & Henderson-King, 1997).
To address this, a questionnaire study (n = 172) explored the relationships between anxiety, experience and risk perceptions in relation to 16 risk activities. Different patterns of relationships for voluntary and involuntary activities were expected. Measures of experience included assessments of impact and outcome valence as well as frequency. Proclivity for, and likelihood of, future risk experiences were also assessed. The results revealed a number of relationships between individual difference variables and risk perceptions relating to the voluntariness of the activities. For involuntary risk activities, there were associations between the experience variables and risk ratings, e.g. previous experience of positive outcomes of involuntary risk activities is associated with perceptions of them affecting few people, with not being fatal and with known risk levels. This would suggest that taking into account people's previous experience of risks is likely to affect reactions to, and mediate the effectiveness of risk communications relating to involuntary risk activities. In contrast for voluntary activities it is the two `future' oriented variables that are associated with risk perceptions. The relationship between anxiety and risk perceptions also varied in relation to the voluntariness of risk activities.
The importance of incorporating a consideration of individual differences within `personality profiles' of hazards is discussed. It is suggested that such a consideration has the potential to refine the development of effective risk communication strategies.
References
Myers, J.R., Henderson-King, D.H., & Henderson-King, E.I. (1997) Facing technological risks: The importance of individual differences. Journal of Research in Personality, 31, 1-20.
Sjöberg, L. (1995) Explaining Risk Perception: An Empirical Evaluation of Cultural Theory. RHIZIKON: Risk Research Reports No 22. Stockholm School of Economics.
Turner, G., & Wynne, B. (1992) Risk Communication. In J. Durant (Ed.), Biotechnology in Public: A Review of Recent Research. (pp. 109-141).
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