The behavior of individuals with respect to risks to their health or to the environment may be significantly affected by how they perceive the risks. This has implications for public health and environmental policy designed to remedy or manage these risks. Further, differences in risk perception may increase confrontations between various groups in society or may render public policy aimed at health protection and risk management ineffective. Careful, in-depth studies of distinctive social groups and their interaction with health and environmental risks can inform risk theory and promote the development and implementation of more effective public policies. This study contributes to the understanding of risk perception formation and the influences of psychological, social and cultural factors in Native American populations, specifically, the Mvskoke of Oklahoma. Ethnographic methods and a survey instrument will be developed that integrate psychometric and cultural factors in risk perception to capture a richer framework for addressing the risk responses of diverse cultural groups.
