Perception of Risks in the Chinese People: Research on risk - PDF document

Outline Perception of Risks in the Chinese People: • Research on risk perception in Hong Kong A Hong Kong Chinese Perspective – Lai et al. (2003); Lai & Tao (2003) • Cognitive representation of environmental hazards in Hong Kong Chinese • Factors that determine levels of perceived risk • A recent study on risk perception related to Julian Lai Chuk-ling , PhD food safety Associate Professor and Associate Head Department of Applied Social Studies – The effects of social trust and personality factors City University of Hong Kong on risk perception related to food safety Hong Kong Lay judgment is not simply a My research is motivated by: response to real risk 1. The growing public concern about Risk Sensitivity the risk of various hazards in Hong Kong Values 2. A need to understand lay perception Real Risk Risk Perception Heuristics of risk Social Trust – To facilitates the communication of real risks inherent to specific hazards to the public Other risk Source: Sjöberg, L. characteristics (2000). Risk Analysis, 20, 1-11. Cognitive Representation of Risks • Objectives • Using the psychometric approach, prior research has shown that hazards are – To characterize risk perception in Hong perceived and judged along two dimensions Kong Chinese using the psychometric • Dread Risk approach – calm ----- dread • to identify the most fundamental – controllable ----- uncontrollable dimensions along which risks are – non-catastrophic ----- catastrophic perceived and evaluated • Unknown Risk – known to those exposed ----- unknown to those exposed – To identify risk characteristics that – known to science ----- unknown to science determine perceived levels of threat – old risk ---- new risk Source: Lai & Tao (2003). Risk Analysis, 23, 669-684 .

• Method • Development of a spatial model – Respondents – Each hazard can then be plotted on a factor-space defined by these higher-order dimensions: a hypothetical 2-factor • 167 Hong Kong Chinese from a larger public sample ( N = 229) model – Response rate = 73% Dimension 2 • Male � 48% high • Ages � range: 18 – 63 yr.; mean: 36.8 yr. radioactive waste • Education: highest level attained – Elementary 6% – Junior high school 16.2% Dimension 1 – Senior high school 35.3% low 0 high – College or higher 42.5% visual pollution – Procedure • Survey questionnaires were sent to participants by mail low A Cognitive A Cognitive Map of Risks Map of Risks Measures • 25 pre-selected hazards – Assessment of perceived levels of threat Acid Rain Destruction Floods or Manipulation Water • How threatening was each of the 25 hazards of coral tidal waves of human shortage genetic to (a) the Hong Kong environment and (b) the materials global environment? Loss of Loss of Genetically Radioactive Storms – Respondents indicated their answers on a 7-point biodiversity dolphins modified fallout from scale food nuclear power plant 1 no threat at all Radioactivity Dredging Germs and Over-fishing Traffic 2 minimal threat in building and micro- noise 3 mild threat materials dumping organisms 4 moderate threat Pollution Earthquakes Indoor air Pesticides Visual 5 strong threat from cars quality and pollution herbicides 6 very strong threat Chemical Destruction Loss of Second Loss of 7 extreme threat waste of feng shui natural hand wetland landscape smoking Comparison with the Typical 2-factor Structure Prior studies Lai & Tao (2003) – Assessment of each hazard’s status on 6 Knowledge characteristics using a 7-point rating scale 1. Knowledge about risk (1 = risk level not known; 4 = uncertain; 7 = risk level known precisely) Dread 2. Feelings of fear Dread Risk (1 = calmly; 4 = uncertain; 7 = worried and frightened) Known & Dread Risk 3. Non-catastrophic vs. catastrophic Catastrophe (1 = non-catastrophic; 4 = uncertain; 7 = catastrophic) 4. Old vs. new (1 = old; 4 = uncertain; 7 = new) 5. Control over risk New/old (1 = totally uncontrollable; 4 = uncertain; 7 = completey controllable) Unknown 6. Unknown vs. known to science Risk (1 = not sufficiently known to science; 4 = uncertain; 7 = sufficiently known to Control Controllable science) Risk Scientific Knowledge

A Cognitive Map of Risk Perception in Hong Kong Chinese Factors determining risk Controllable Risk perception 3 Threat to local Threat to global second 2 environment environment cars Knowledge & Positive Positive traffi visual indoor pest association association 1 Fear over wet dredg lands chem Controllability Positive No association nucl Known & build 0 association coral Dread dol germs Risk biodiv acid Sex F > M F > M short genet mani -1 feng storms floods Age Old > Young Old > Young earth -2 Education Low > High No association -3 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 Implications • The coupling of Knowledge and Fear may • The most unique finding is related to be attributed to the “this-worldly” practical humanism of Confucian teachings the cognitive representation of risks • Emphasis on those aspects of life that can be – The typical Dread and Unknown Risk understood through personal experience and Factors have not been successfully control replicated • De-emphasis on those aspects that are unfamiliar and unknown • Hong Kong Chinese perceive risks within • The “known & dread risk” and “controllable a different cognitive space. Why? risk” have recently been replicated in a – Ongoing influences of traditional Chinese sample of citizens in Guangzhou, China (Lai values and beliefs in Hong Kong & Tao, 2006)* * Lai, J, C. L., & Tao, J. (2006). International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, 1(5), 125-138. Social Trust and Optimism in risk perceptions related to food safety – Personality factors such as high anxiety • Background have been shown to accentuate risk – Social trust has been found to influence perception (Bouyer et al., 2001) both risk and benefit perception of a • Factors that potentially lower perceived risk technology in recent research (Siegrist, have rarely been studied 1999; Siegrist et al., 2000) – Optimism which is related to a generalized positive outcome expectancy, is expected to attenuate • Higher trust predicts lower risk perception perceived risk via its effect on social trust “Social trust is the willingness to rely on those who have the responsibility for making decisions and taking actions related to the management of technology, the environment, medicine, or other realms of public health and safety” (Siegrist et al., 2000, p. 354)

Factors Predicting Risk Perception related to Food Safety – A telephone survey administered to 1200 Hong Kong Chinese(498 men & 671 women; ages Knowledge ranged from 18 to 64 yr) • Items tapping respondents’ perception of risk associated with Demographic Social Trust Risk Perception 1. Mad cow disease after eating beef in Hong Kong factors 2. Food poisoning after eating vegetables having pesticide residues in Hong Kong 3. Food poisoning after eating coral reef fish having ciguatoxin in Hong Kong 4. Food poisoning after eating unsafe food in Hong Kong Optimism Levels of Perceived Risk • Items tapping social trust Medium 4 – Degree of confidence in the food control and enforcement system in Hong Kong • Items tapping optimism 3 1. How optimistic a respondent is 2. If there are more good things than bad in the life Subjective Probability of a respondent 2 • Items tapping knowledge of food safety MC = Mad Cow Disease – How much knowledge about food safety PR = Pesticide Residues CT = Ciguatoxin a respondent claims to have FP = Food Poisoning Extremely 1 low MC PR CT FP Demographic Factors � Risk Sex difference in risk perception Perception 4 Medium Mad Cow Pesticides Ciguatoxin Food Poisoning Residues 3.5 3 Sex F > M F > M F > M F > M 2.5 Female Education No No No No Male 2 association association association association 1.5 Income No High > No No association association association Extremely 1 Low Mad Cow Pesticide Ciguatoxin Food low Residues Poisoning