Testing a Structured Decision Approach: Value‐Focused Thinking for Deliberative Risk Communication

Joseph L. Arvai, Robin Gregory and Timothy L. McDaniels

Risk Analysis, 2001, vol. 21, issue 6, 1065-1076

Abstract: Public participation is now part of many decision making processes for managing environmental and technical risks. This article describes a test of a strategy to improve the quality of public input by combining themes from risk communication with the prescriptive decision process of value‐focused thinking. It was hypothesized that participating in a structured, value‐focused risk communication approach would lead people to make more thoughtful, better informed, and hence higher quality decisions by helping them to consider and discuss a wider array of decision‐relevant issues and address key value trade‐offs. It is also anticipated that utilizing a value‐focused decision structure would make participants feel more comfortable with their decisions; more satisfied that their selected alternative reflected their key concerns; and, in the end, more satisfied with their decisions. To test these hypotheses, six groups comprised of 7 to 10 people participated in conventional “alternative‐focused” risk communication workshops and eight groups participated in similar “value‐focused” workshops. All workshops dealt with the management of risks to riverine salmon habitat from hydroelectric electricity generation. The results provided support for the hypotheses: the value‐focused decision structure led to more thoughtful and better informed risk management decisions.

Date: 2001
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:riskan:v:21:y:2001:i:6:p:1065-1076

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