The overall purpose of this project is to develop and test a new approach that links psychological, sociological, and technical aspects of risk assessment. The study will examine processes through which hazards interact with social and cultural factors to amplify or attenuate public responses to risk. The specific objectives of the project are (1) to integrate different social responses to risk events into a coherent theory of risk amplification, and (2) to examine patterns of risk amplification across a diverse set of hazards and event scenarios, based on a detailed review of case studies. Despite the importance of integrative approaches to risk assessment, little research has been directed toward developing a systematic approach that takes into account the broader social and cultural implications of a risk event. This innovative project will both develop a theoretical basis for this integration and validate the approach using case studies. It is expected that the results of the study will contribute to the development of better understanding of why some risk events are amplified and others not, and provide risk analysts and decision makers with a more comprehensive basis for addressing difficult risk problems.
