Perception and Evaluation of Risk and Uncertainty Essay

Perception and Evaluation of Risk and Uncertainty - Essay Example This research will help in knowing public responses to any new technology and the development of new risk management strategies. Social and cultural factors affect perception and acceptance of risk. This is because people try to emphasize on particular risks that they see as important, in order to control what others are thinking and make them believe them, all in trying to make sense out of what is happening to the world mostly through new technology. Starrs research concluded that acceptability of risk from an activity is roughly proportional to the third power of the benefits for that activity and the public will accept risks from voluntary activities (such as skiing) that are roughly 1000 times as great as it would tolerate from involuntary hazards (such as food preservatives) that provide the same level of benefits (Slovic, 1987, 282). Also studies have shown that perception of risk can be quantifiable and predictable. There are models that are used to show the relation between perceptions, behavior and qualitative characteristics of hazards. These models are: Factor-Analytic Representations and Accidents as Signals. Eventually riskiness means a lot to people than expected number of fatalities. In order to carry out a good research, both parties, the public and the experts have to contribute on how they perceive risk. Risk assessment is a methodology used for evaluating the environmental risks of new technologies. Agriculture has evolved since the early 1940s in order to provide enough food for various countries, but the need of taking great care of the environment has increased and rules and regulations have been made to protect the environment. Risk assessment also involves the process of identifying risks and their seriousness, so that decisions can be made on whether or not the technology should be used and how to proceed with it. However, risk assessment has its own serious limitations. This is