Decision Structuring As a Component of Risk Communication. J. L. Arvai, Ohio State University
Despite being labeled an interactive process, many high profile environmental risk communication efforts fall into the trap of taking the form of a one-way transfer of risk messages that characterize expert notions of what the affected parties ought to know and, in some cases how they ought to behave. To avoid this trap, risk communicators have at their disposal a variety of different tools to keep risk communication processes interactive and sensitive to the participants’ concerns (e.g., mental models analysis to help determine risk communication content, the use of deliberative approaches, full disclosure of uncertainties, etc.). However, recent research conducted at The University of British Columbia and Decision Research in the context of environmental effects from hydroelectricity generation suggests that participants in risk communication efforts may require more than well-designed risk messages, deliberation, and an honest treatment of uncertainties in order to make thoughtful choices about risk assessment and management. Equally important to these participants is the provision of an explicit decision structure that helps them make difficult choices as part of the overall risk communication process. Researchers and practitioners may wish to keep this underutilized aspect of a potential risk communication process in mind to facilitate meaningful involvement by the interested and affected parties in decisions about risk assessment and management.
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