Lay Understanding of Synergistic Risk: The Case of Radon and Cigarette Smoking

Sarah E. Hampson, Judy A. Andrews, Michael E. Lee, Lyn S. Foster, Russell E. Glasgow and Edward Liechtenstein

Risk Analysis, 1998, vol. 18, issue 3, 343-350

Abstract: The combination of radon and smoking produces a synergistic risk of lung cancer. Lay understanding of this risk was examined from the perspectives of mental models theory, the psychometric approach to risk perception, and optimistic bias. As assessed by interview, participants (N= 50) had more extensive mental models for the risks of smoking than for the risks of radon or the combination of radon and smoking; 32% knew little or nothing about radon. Despite reading an informational brochure, their risk‐perception ratings of the three hazards showed no perception of the synergy between smoking and radon risk, although the combined hazard was rated as less familiar but more controllable than the average of the single hazards (p

Date: 1998
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:riskan:v:18:y:1998:i:3:p:343-350

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