Risk communication, risk perception and behaviour as foundations of effective national security practices

TY - CHAP

T1 - Risk communication, risk perception and behaviour as foundations of effective national security practices

AU - Rogers, M. Brooke

AU - Pearce, Julia M.

PY - 2013/2/26

Y1 - 2013/2/26

N2 - This chapter will argue that risk communication, risk perception, and behavior must be recognized as foundations of effective national security, and that policies and practices that do not incorporate the concepts underpinning effective risk communication are bound to fail. In doing so, this chapter will provide a detailed explanation of the primary drivers and, thus, the primary targets of all risk communication: risk perception and behavior. It will explain how risk perceptions influence the psychological and behavioral responses that play a key role in determining health, social, and economic impacts of extreme events. It will then unpack the relationship between risk communication, risk perception, and behavior. This will entail an exploration of the underlying issues informing expert and public variations in perceived risk, the identification of likely behavioral reactions to extreme events, and an illustration of the ways in which effective risk communication can mitigate negative impacts by reducing unnecessary care seeking and increasing compliance with official guidance. Finally, this chapter suggests steps that can be taken to better enable practitioners and policy makers to develop risk communication messages and emergency response programs capable of informing public perceptions of risk and positive health behaviors.

AB - This chapter will argue that risk communication, risk perception, and behavior must be recognized as foundations of effective national security, and that policies and practices that do not incorporate the concepts underpinning effective risk communication are bound to fail. In doing so, this chapter will provide a detailed explanation of the primary drivers and, thus, the primary targets of all risk communication: risk perception and behavior. It will explain how risk perceptions influence the psychological and behavioral responses that play a key role in determining health, social, and economic impacts of extreme events. It will then unpack the relationship between risk communication, risk perception, and behavior. This will entail an exploration of the underlying issues informing expert and public variations in perceived risk, the identification of likely behavioral reactions to extreme events, and an illustration of the ways in which effective risk communication can mitigate negative impacts by reducing unnecessary care seeking and increasing compliance with official guidance. Finally, this chapter suggests steps that can be taken to better enable practitioners and policy makers to develop risk communication messages and emergency response programs capable of informing public perceptions of risk and positive health behaviors.

KW - Ris communication

KW - Risk perception

KW - Behaviour

KW - National security

KW - Extreme events

KW - Psychology

KW - Disaster

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84905999209&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:84905999209

SN - 9780124071919

SP - 66

EP - 74

BT - Strategic Intelligence Management

A2 - Akjgar, Babak

A2 - Yates, Simeon

PB - Butterworth-Heinemann

ER -