ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION



Risk Perception in Communities on the Industrial Margin

by ANTONY BURGESS MASON

Dissertation Director: Professor Michael R. Greenberg



The lay public's perception of what risks are acceptable differs from that of scientists and other experts who conduct risk assessments, this is true at least in part because the lay public relies on intuitive judgments based on risk perception. This research explores the degree to which the perception of risk is eased in residents of some communities and what factors may contribute to a greater acceptance of the risks. The underlying assumption is that two basic social organizations, Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, used by sociologists to describe neighborhoods, engender differing perceptions of risk. In addition, certain socio-structural variables may identify persons who are particularly risk sensitive. Highly publicized hazards are often perceived as greater than less publicized, more dangerous hazards.



Residents of three communities on the industrial margin were interviewed at length to determine what they think about the risks of where they live. The hypotheses were that (i) The social organization of the neighborhood will affect risk perception; and (2) although the dimensions dreadedness and familiarity, which are thought to define risk perception, are operative, they are affected by the action of the neighborhood upon its residents. The result is a softening or easing of risk perception.



To confirm the results of the interviews, a questionnaire was mailed to an expanded sample drawn from members of two neighborhoods and to residents of areas adjacent to them at greater distances from the industrial facilities. An effort was made to identify social and economic variables that would predict risk sensitivity.



The data appear to confirm that risk perception and neighborhood perception are related. The evidence that social and economic mobility are associated with heightened sensitivity to risk was weak and not conclusive. The argument that publicized risks are perceived as being more dangerous than unpublicized ones was supported. Application of multivariate techniques showed some ability to identify extremely risk-sensitive and risk-insensitive persons based on their social, economic and personal characteristics.