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Radon Risk Information and Voluntary Protection: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

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  • F. Reed Johnson
  • Ralph A. Luken

Abstract

This study examines the perceived risks and mitigating behavior of Maine households who received new information on their exposures to significant health risks from indoor radon. The observed responses of these households illustrate conceptual issues related to designing an effective risk information program. Despite the involvement of generally well‐motivated homeowners and well‐intentioned researchers and government officials, we conclude that the risk information approach used in Maine failed to induce appropriate, cost‐effective voluntary protection. The results indicate that, after receiving radon test results, information on associated health risks, and suggestions on how to reduce exposures: (1) perceived risks tended to understate objective risks by orders of magnitude, and (2) there was no statistically significant relationship between mitigating behavior and objective risks. These results suggest that the formation of risk perceptions and subsequent behavioral adjustments involve complex interactions among information, contextual, socioeconomic, and psychological variables. Therefore, government programs that seek to reduce health and safety risks with information programs, instead of using more conventional enforced standards, must be crafted very carefully to accommodate this complex process.

Suggested Citation

  • F. Reed Johnson & Ralph A. Luken, 1987. "Radon Risk Information and Voluntary Protection: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 7(1), pages 97-107, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:riskan:v:7:y:1987:i:1:p:97-107
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1987.tb00973.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Branden B. Johnson, 2003. "Communicating Air Quality Information: Experimental Evaluation of Alternative Formats," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(1), pages 91-103, February.
    2. Richard C. Rich & W. David Conn, 1995. "Using Automated Emergency Notification Systems to Inform the Public: A Field Experiment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 23-28, February.
    3. Robert E. O'Connor & Richard J. Bard & Ann Fisher, 1999. "Risk Perceptions, General Environmental Beliefs, and Willingness to Address Climate Change," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), pages 461-471, June.
    4. Branden B. Johnson, 2003. "Do Reports on Drinking Water Quality Affect Customers' Concerns? Experiments in Report Content," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(5), pages 985-998, October.
    5. Paul M. Jakus & W. Douglass Shaw, 1996. "An Empirical Analysis of Rock Climbers' Response to Hazard Warnings," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), pages 581-586, August.
    6. James K. Doyle & Gary H. McClelland & William D. Schulze & Steven R. Elliott & Glenn W. Russell, 1991. "Protective Responses to Household Risk: A Case Study of Radon Mitigation," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(1), pages 121-134, March.

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