Risk Communication : A Mental Models Approach

by Morgan, M. Granger

• ISBN13: 9780511057120
• ISBN10: 0511057121
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2001-07-30
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

People today must make decisions about many health, safety, and environmental risks. Nuclear power, HIV/AIDS, radon, vaccines, climate change, and emerging infectious diseases are just some issues that may face them in the news media, ballot box, or doctor's office. In order to make sound choices they need to get good information. Because their time is limited, that information has to be carefully selected and clearly presented. This book provides a systematic approach for risk communicators and technical experts, hoping to serve the public by providing information about risks. The procedure uses approaches from risk and decision analysis to identify the most relevant information; it uses approaches from psychology and communication theory to ensure that it is understood. This book is written in nontechnical terms, designed to make the approach feasible for anyone willing to try it. It is illustrated with successful communications, on a variety of topics.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Carnegie Mellon mental models approach

Creating an expert model of the risk

Mental model interviews

Confirmatory questionnaires

Development and evaluation of communications

Case studies: applications to environmental risks

A mental models approach to HIV/AIDS

Some concluding remarks

Appendices

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.