Is it Really Risky? Why Experts and the Public Disagree about Risks
Summary:
| The public and experts are sometimes closely aligned in terms of what they consider to be a high risk. But there are also many cases of divergence, cases when experts and the public seem to disagree about what is risky. Sometimes it is experts who consider the public to be underestimating risks and behaving irresponsibly – of eating a high-fat diet, or not completing a prescribed course of medicine, for example – but in other cases, it is the public that is more worried about risks – of getting children vaccinated, or living near to a hazardous waste disposal site – leaving them frustrated that experts do not appear to be taking their concerns seriously. When these gaps go unresolved, people fail to take protective actions which would benefit them or, conversely, experience needless anxiety, and distrust builds up. This session focuses in on these Risk Perception Gaps, identifying domains and types of risks where the gaps are most profound, considering what drives them and possible approaches to bringing experts and publics closer together. We will hear from researchers at leading academic institutions in China, Korea and Singapore and invite the audience to contribute to the debate in their roles of both experts and members of the public. |
Speakers:
Olivia Jensen, Peng Zongchao,
Kalenzi Cornelius, Leonard Lee,
Kim So Young