Social factors affecting risk perception

Abstract

A characterization of risk perception research is presented, as opposed to the conception of risk by the natural sciences. Then, a brief historical review of the different approaches to this field in psychology is presented. Finally, in the last part of the text, a social psychological approach to the issue of risk perception is advanced. It is argued that such an approach allows a more comprehensive understanding of the way lay people estimate the probabilities of different hazards, considering (1) the social context in which risk estimates are produced and (2) the individual functions of those estimates. To illustrate this approach, several pieces of research are presented showing that the variability of subjective risk can be explained by individual factors (the need to maintain mental health under continuous threat), interpersonal factors (love commitment), group factors (group identity, group norms and group beliefs) and ideological factors (political identity).