How do lay people perceive risk?

In the psychometric approach on risk perception it is hypothesised that perceived risk is a reflective construct. The indicators reflecting risk perception are several, and the two most important are intuitive assessment of probability and subjective judgement of the consequences if an unwanted and damaging event should take place. The current presentation examines the basic assumption that risk perception as a reflective construct.The results are based on a self-completion questionnaire survey carried out among representative samples of six Norwegian urban areas.It was not found any support the idea that perceived risk could be conceptualised as a reflective construct of assessment of probability of an accident and judgement of severity of consequences. Lay people’s subjective judgement of risk diverges from the way in which objective risk is estimated.Factors previously assumed to be important in the conceptualisation of risk perception may not be a fruitful basis for understanding how the urban public perceives risks

Keywords:

Risk perception , reflective construct , subjective judgement