Peter M. Wiedemann

Framing effects on risk perception of nanotechnology

How do people judge nanotechnology risks that are completely unfamiliar to them? Drawing on results of previous studies on framing and risk perception, two hypotheses about potential influences on nanotechnology risk perception were examined in an experimental study: 1) Risk perception of nanotechnology is influenced by its benefit perception. 2) Risk perception of nanotechnology is influenced by the context in which nanotechnology is embedded, specifically by the characteristics of the enterprises that profit from nanotechnology: large multinational enterprises versus small and medium-sized enterprises. In contrast to findings for other new technologies, e.g. biotechnology, the different types of benefit did not affect risk perceptions in our study. However, we found that characterizing the enterprises as large multinational versus small or medium-sized leads to differences in risk perception. One can speculate that when personal knowledge about a technology is lacking, people use more familiar aspects from the social context as cues for their risk evaluation.

The Impacts of Precautionary Measures and the Disclosure of Scientific Uncertainty on EMF Risk Perception and Trust

This study evaluates the impact on risk perception and trust in public health protection resulting from disclosure of information about implementation of precautionary measures and from the disclosure of scientific uncertainty in the area of mobile telephony. Based on an experimental design, the study supports our recent findings (Wiedemann and Schütz, 2005) that precautionary measures may trigger concerns and amplify EMF‐related risk perceptions. Furthermore, our present data once again indicates that information about the implementation of precautionary measures has no positive effect on trust in public health protection. These results, contrary to common expectations, should be considered in decisions about precautionary measures. Risk managers who intend to implement precautionary measures merely as a means for reassuring the public will probably fail. Indeed, even if precautionary measures are justified from a public health perspective, it seems prudent to anticipate the possibly countervailing effects of such measures on the public. This leads to two important challenges for risk communication, first to clarify the difference between hazard and risk and, second, to help avoid such unwanted effects by designing better communication about precautionary measures.

The Pursuit of Fair and Competent Citizen Participation

In the previous sixteen chapters of this volume, eight models for public participation in environmental decision making have been proposed and reviewed using the discursive standard criteria laid out in Chapter 3. These evaluations are valid and insightful and go a long way toward providing a basis for positioning the eight models relative to each other. In this chapter we editors further pursue this objective by performing a comparative evaluation of all eight models on the discursive standard criteria. We then take this process one step further by proposing the foundations of a framework for classifying environmental decisions and public participation models. Finally, we close with comments and observations about the challenges still facing those who organize and take part in public participation.

The LEXNET Project: Wireless Networks and EMF: Paving the Way for Low-EMF Networks of the Future

While, according to the World Health Organization, no adverse health effects of radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been established to date, EMF exposure from wireless communication networks is nonetheless often cited as a major cause of public concern and is frequently given considerable media coverage. This article presents the results of a new survey on RF-EMF exposure risk perception together with a comprehensive overview of the EMF footprint of existing and emerging networks. On the basis of these findings, we then put forward the rationale for EMF-aware networking. Subsequently, we highlight the gaps in existing systems, which impede EMF-aware networking, and outline the key concepts of the recently launched European Union (EU) Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) Integrated Project Low-EMF Exposure Future Networks (LEXNET): a new, all-encompassing, population-based metric of exposure and ways it can be used for low-EMF, quality of service (QoS)-aware network optimization.

When precaution creates misunderstandings: The unintended effects of precautionary information on perceived risks, the EMF case.

In the past decade, growing public concern about novel technologies with uncertain potential long-term impacts on the environment and human health has moved risk policies toward a more precautionary approach. Focusing on mobile telephony, the effects of precautionary information on risk perception were analyzed. A pooled multinational experimental study based on a 5 × 2 × 2 factorial design was conducted in nine countries. The first factor refers to whether or not information on different types of precautionary measures was present, the second factor to the framing of the precautionary information, and the third factor to the order in which cell phones and base stations were rated by the study participants. The data analysis on the country level indicates different effects. The main hypothesis that informing about precautionary measures results in increased risk perceptions found only partial support in the data. The effects are weaker, both in terms of the effect size and the frequency of significant effects, across the various precautionary information formats used in the experiment. Nevertheless, our findings do not support the assumption that informing people about implemented precautionary measures will decrease public concerns.

Children's health and RF EMF exposure. Views from a risk assessment and risk communication perspective.

ZusammenfassungEin Review der epidemiologischen Studien zu den Auswirkungen von HF EMF-Expositionen auf Tumorbildung und Leukämieerkrankungen bei Kindern sowie experimentellen Untersuchungen zu Effekten von HF EMF-Expositionen auf Kognition und ZNS bei Kindern, das die wissenschaftliche Literatur bis August 2010 umfasst, findet keine oder nur unzureichende wissenschaftliche Evidenz für die Annahme, dass HF EMF ein Risikofaktor für Kinder ist. Dieser Befund steht im Gegensatz zu der Risikowahrnehmung in (zumindest Teilen) der Öffentlichkeit, die einen Zusammenhang zwischen HF-Exposition und Gesundheitsrisiken befürchtet. Konsequenzen für die Risikokommunikation werden diskutiert. Besonders erschwerend für eine wissenschaftliche korrekte und zugleich leicht zu verständliche Risikokommunikation ist es, dass nicht ausgeschlossen werden kann, dass HF EMF ein Risikofaktor ist, zum einen wegen der bestehenden Wissenslücken, zum anderen aber insbesondere wegen der Unmöglichkeit, einen Nicht-Effekt zu beweisen.SummaryA review of the scientific literature published until August 2010, covering epidemiological studies on the effects of RF EMF exposure on the incidence of brain tumours and leukaemia in children as well as experimental studies on RF EMF effects on cognition and CNS in children, reveals no or only scant evidence for the assumption that RF EMF exposure poses a hazard to children. This result is at odds with public risk perceptions, i.e. prevailing concerns of (at least part of) the public about adverse health effect of RF EMF. Consequences for risk communication are discussed. A scientifically sound and easy-to-understand risk communication is especially exacerbated by the fact that current risk assessments cannot exclude that RF EMF might have adverse health effects due remaining knowledge gaps, but especially due to the impossibility to prove a non-effect.

Evidence maps: communicating risk assessments in societal controversies: the case of engineered nanoparticles.

The transparent and fair characterization of scientific evidence for reporting the results of a hazard assessment is a demanding task. In this article, we present an approach for characterizing evidence--the evidence map approach. The theoretical starting point is to view evidence characterization as a form of argumentation. Thus, evidence maps are designed to depict the evidence base, the pro and con arguments, and the remaining uncertainties, which together lead experts to their conclusions when summarizing and evaluating the scientific evidence about a potential hazard. To illustrate its use, the evidence maps approach is applied to characterizing the health-relevant effects of engineered nanoparticles. Empirical data from an online survey suggests that the use of evidence maps improves the reporting of hazard assessments. Nonexperts prefer to receive the information included in an evidence map in order to come to an informed judgment. Furthermore, the benefits and limitations of evidence maps are discussed in the light of recent literature on risk communication. Finally, the article underlines the need for further research in order to increase quality of evidence reporting.

Looking for a safe haven after fancy thrills: a psychometric analysis of risk perception in alpine tourist destinations

Visitors’ risk perceptions have been found to influence the on‐site behaviour of tourists and their intention to return to a destination or to recommend it to others. The present study analyses the perception of tourism risks in the Tyrol, Austria. Building on the psychometric paradigm, participants (N = 207) assessed 15 vacation risks on nine risk characteristics that are derived from psychometric research and completed with characteristics relevant in a tourism context. Findings suggest that additionally to managing the most likely risks, alpine destinations should be prepared to cope with worst case scenarios such as ‘potable water poisoning’, ‘food poisoning’, ‘breaking of an embankment dam’, ‘rock fall on a village’, ‘cable car accident’ and ‘terrorist attack’. Considering these rather low‐probability risks is of decisive importance since such risks are especially prone to evoke public outrage if they – against all expectations – result in damaging events.

Trust in the Safety of Tourist Destinations: Hard to Gain, Easy to Lose? New Insights on the Asymmetry Principle

According to the asymmetry principle of trust, negative events decrease trust to a much higher extent than positive events increase trust. The study at hand intended to verify whether this notion of asymmetry holds true with respect to trust in the safety of tourist destinations. Thus, in contrast to previous research that analyzed trust asymmetry in the context of involuntary technological risks, the present study evaluates the validity of the asymmetry principle of trust in the context of voluntary tourism risks. The hypothesis that negative or risky information on destination safety (absence of proper safety measures and conditions) has a higher impact on distrust than, conversely, positive or nonrisk information on destination safety (provision of proper safety measures and conditions) has on trust was tested in an online survey (N= 640). In contrast to the asymmetry pattern found by Slovic (1993), results of the current work suggest symmetry rather than asymmetry of trust. The presence of proper safety measures and conditions (positive or nonrisk information) was found to have at least the same-and in some cases an even higher-impact on trust than the absence of such measures and conditions (negative or risky information) had on distrust. Findings provide empirical evidence for the thesis that the prevalence of trust asymmetry is dependent on the risk source and demonstrate that trust is symmetric rather than asymmetric in the context of voluntary tourism risks. Furthermore, results imply an influence of positive versus negative expectations as well as of prior trusting relationships on the occurrence of the asymmetry principle.

Beliefs and Emotionality in Risk Appraisals

Many technology debates are characterized by uncertainty in scientific knowledge and emotional discussions between different stakeholders. A considerable amount of information is provided by different stakeholders, emphasizing different views of a controversial subject. This includes, on the one hand, technology‐critical information that consists of arguments underlining possible negative effects, such as terrifying diseases, foment fear and concern and, on the other hand, information that supports a certain technology, usually comprising arguments that emphasize its harmlessness. A good example of this type of technology debate is the controversial issue of high‐frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF). The questions that arise from a risk‐communication perspective are whether different accentuations in risk information—such as one‐sided versus balanced arguments—have an impact on a laypersons risk appraisal and whether a laypersons prior beliefs are influenced by unbalanced information. These questions are investigated in a three‐factorial experimental study with a between‐subjects design. The findings suggest that people have already formed an opinion on the EMF issue. Firstly, these prior beliefs influence their risk judgments and, secondly, highly emotional information polarizes existing beliefs and thereby influences the laypersons risk appraisals.