NCJ Number
208792
Journal
Risk Management: An International Journal Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: 2005 Pages: 43-61
Date Published
2005
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This Swedish study examined citizens' level of perceived risk of terrorist attacks and factors related to perceived risk.
Abstract
There were three subgroups of participants. One group (n=118) consisted of persons who had participated in an earlier survey of trust and risk perception. Two other groups had participated in a survey regarding perceived risks associated with the siting of a nuclear waster repository. Each of these 2 groups (n=158, n=163) was from a different town than the other. The response rate for the current survey was 71 percent, yielding a study sample of 294. Given that Sweden has not had the experiences of terrorism that have jarred many other countries, it is not surprising that respondents generally had a fairly low level of concern about terrorism, as described by five types of terrorist attacks: contagious disease contamination, hijacking, bombings, infiltration of government organizations, and spreading illness by direct mail. Women had higher risk ratings than men, and fear was greater among older respondents and respondents with a low level of education. Demographics, however, accounted for only about 5 percent of the variance in perceived risk. The psychometric model's features of "dread" and "new risk" were also measured. New risk had no correlation with perceived risk, but dread did. Perceptions of the reasons for terrorism were important correlates of perceptions of risk. Belief in the competency and persistence of the perpetrators tended to increase perceptions of risk. The perceived risk of terrorism also correlated strongly with items that measured the generalization of the threat to a broad area and over a long period of time. Implications are drawn for models of risk perception. 5 tables, 4 figures, 10 notes, and 61 references