Gut Feeling vs. Common Sense: Associative and Cognitive Processes in RiskPerception and Communication

摘要

In this paper, we argue that people perceive risks by two types of processes: associative andrncognitive processes. Associative processes are based on gut feelings and instantaneous associationsrnwith known risks, whereas cognitive processes are relatively more conscious and deliberate. Anrnoverview of five studies is presented in which we investigated the roles of these two processes. First,rnan interview study and a survey study examined whether and how people use risk associations torninterpret unknown risks. In addition, three experiments are discussed, in which we investigated howrntextual, audiovisual, and active risk communication may influence the two risk perception processes.rnWe used a relatively new method to measure the associative processes in these experiments, namelyrnthe Extrinsic Affective Simon Task [1], which can reveal people's instantaneous association with arnrisk. Our studies showed that associative processes play an important role in people's risk perception.rnAdditionally, it appeared difficult to affect the two risk perception processes by risk communication;rnespecially to influence the associative processes. We provide some cautious recommendations for riskrncommunication practice and implications for risk communication and risk perception research.