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Risk as perceived by the German public: pervasive risks and “switching” risks

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  • Michael M. Zwick

Abstract

In 2001, a major project on the perception and evaluation of risks in southern Germany was conducted consisting of survey data as well as of semi-structured interviews. With reference to the psychometric paradigm, this article analyzes public risk perception, pointing out the perceived risk semantic for nuclear energy, GM-food, mad cow disease (BSE), crime, global climate change, mobile telephony and its radiation risks. These hazards reveal different patterns of risk perception and different levels of risk acceptability. Secondly, a comparison of qualitative and quantitative findings will be conducted: qualitative analyses indicate that the results of quantitative rating scales on the perception, evaluation and acceptance of technical and environmental hazards might be misleading since the public's focus on risks as elicited by open association stimuli relies much more on ‘everyday-life’ and ‘pervasive’ risks than for instance on hazards emerging from new technologies. The relevance of technological risks tends to be dependent on the context: If explicitly mentioned in newscasts, in debates or listed in questionnaires memories, fears or other immediate responses become activated, yet they may be forgotten a short time later. We have called this phenomenon “switching effect” and the respective risks “switching risks” . In standardized opinion polls such ‘switching effects’ may evoke firm judgments, even if the importance in the interviewee's mental representation seems marginal.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael M. Zwick, 2005. "Risk as perceived by the German public: pervasive risks and “switching” risks," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(6), pages 481-498, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:jriskr:v:8:y:2005:i:6:p:481-498
    DOI: 10.1080/13669870500064150
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    Cited by:

    1. Contu, Davide & Strazzera, Elisabetta & Mourato, Susana, 2016. "Modeling individual preferences for energy sources: The case of IV generation nuclear energy in Italy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 37-58.
    2. Henrik Jungaberle & Ede Nagy, 2015. "Pilot Evaluation Study of the Life Skills Program REBOUND," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(4), pages 21582440156, November.
    3. Peter M. Wiedemann & Frederik Freudenstein & Christoph Böhmert & Joe Wiart & Rodney J. Croft, 2017. "RF EMF Risk Perception Revisited: Is the Focus on Concern Sufficient for Risk Perception Studies?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, June.

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