Communicating the terms "risk" and "hazard"

taking account of the opinions of NGOs and trade associations
Period: July 2006 - June 2007
Supported by: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin
Cooperation Partners: Dialogik gGmbH, Stuttgart

Involved IÖW employees: Dirk Scheer (Project leader IÖW), Stefan Gold

Description

Risk communication aims at the interactive exchange of information and opinions concerning dangers and risks between various actors involved in the communication process. Yet misunderstandings and communication problems repeatedly occur between the actors, and these can be attributed to many different causes. There is for example an evident communication problem in the understanding and usage of the terms "risk" and "hazard", which are common and clearly defined in risk research. The objective of the research project focuses on the examination of possible communication problems in the understanding and usage of the terms "risk" and "hazard" in the field of risk communication and the development of recommendations for action in possible organisational measures by authorities.

Contact

Dirk Scheer

Topic: Products and Consumption, Participation and Communication
Research field: Ecological Product Policy