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Risk perception and technological development at a societal level.

Maria Luisa Lima1, Julie Barnett, Jorge Vala

  • 1Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social, Instituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa, Lisboa, Portugal. Luisa.lima@iscte.pt

Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis
|November 22, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Societies exposed to new technologies normalize risk perception. However, high environmental risk perception occurs in countries with low technology prevalence but rapid recent development, mediated by environmental awareness.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental sociology
  • Risk perception studies
  • Societal impact of technology

Background:

  • Societal responses to technological advancements are complex.
  • Understanding risk perception in relation to technology diffusion is crucial.
  • Previous research has not fully explored the interplay between technological prevalence, growth, and perceived environmental risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis linking exposure to technological threats with risk perception normalization.
  • To investigate the relationship between technological diffusion and perceived environmental risk across nations.
  • To identify factors mediating the association between technology and risk perception.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized 2000 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) data on environmental issues.

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  • Analyzed representative samples from 25 countries assessing perceived environmental threats from technologies.
  • Correlated perceived risks with economic indicators of technology diffusion (World Bank data).

    • Main Results:

    • A negative association was found between risk perception and technological prevalence (societal normalization).
    • A positive association was observed between risk perception and the rate of technological growth (societal sensitivity).
    • Highest perceived environmental risks were in countries with low prevalence but high recent technological development.

    Conclusions:

    • Societal normalization of risk is driven by awareness of technological development, not just prevalence.
    • Societal sensitivity to risk is linked to lower levels of environmental awareness.
    • Environmental awareness acts as a mediator in the relationship between risk perception and technological diffusion.