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Risk perception in a developing country: the case of Chile
Nicolás C Bronfman1, Luis A Cifuentes
1Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial y de Systemas, Ponitificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. lac@ing.puc.cl
Summary
Chileans perceive personal risks as lower than social risks, influenced by factors like "Dread Risk" and "Unknown Risk." This study reveals a gap between perceived and desired regulation levels for various hazards.
Area of Science:
- Risk perception studies
- Psychometric analysis
- Social sciences
Background:
- Understanding risk perception is crucial for public policy and safety.
- The psychometric paradigm offers a framework for quantifying risk perception.
- Previous research often focuses on aggregate risk, neglecting personal vs. social distinctions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize risk perception in Chile using the psychometric paradigm.
- To explore the differences between perceived social and personal risk.
- To identify key factors influencing risk perception and risk denial.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 508 residents of Santiago, Chile.
- The survey included 54 hazards, 16 risk attributes, and 3 risk constructs.
- Factor analysis and OLS regression models were used to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Three main factors identified: Dread Risk (37%), Unknown Risk (28%), and Personal Effect (15%).
- Individuals perceived lower personal exposure and greater control compared to the general population.
- Risk denial was associated with Dread Risk and Unknown Risk, with Unknown Risk showing a negative association.
Conclusions:
- Chileans exhibit risk denial, perceiving personal risks as lower than social risks.
- Dissatisfaction with current regulation levels was evident across all analyzed hazards.
- Individual-level analysis provides valuable insights into risk perception tendencies, complementing aggregate data.