Further notes on public response to uncertainty in risks and science

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Risk Perception
• Science Communication

Background:

• Uncertainty is inherent in environmental health risk assessments.
• Public interpretation of risk uncertainty significantly impacts trust and decision-making.
• Previous studies explored public reactions to government-provided risk uncertainty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how citizens interpret uncertainty in environmental risk estimates provided by industry.
• To explore factors influencing public perception of risk information, including attitudes toward industry.

Main Methods:

• Survey of New Jersey residents living near factories.
• Presentation of hypothetical industry-generated risk estimate ranges.
• Analysis of resident evaluations of risk assessor honesty, competence, and reasons for uncertainty.

Main Results:

• A plurality viewed industry risk ranges as honest and competent, but most found them deficient.
• Respondents desired definitive safety conclusions and favored higher risk estimates.
• Low acknowledgment of scientific reasons for uncertainty; positive attitudes toward industry correlated with perceptions of risk estimates.

Conclusions:

• Public interpretation of industry-provided environmental risk uncertainty is complex and influenced by trust in industry.
• Addressing public demand for certainty and improving understanding of scientific uncertainty are crucial for effective risk communication.
• Attitudes toward industry play a significant role in shaping public perception of environmental health risks.