Using a Familiar Risk Comparison Within a Risk Ladder to Improve Risk Understanding by Low Numerates: A Study of Visual Attention

Carmen Keller

Risk Analysis, 2011, vol. 31, issue 7, 1043-1054

Abstract: Previous experimental research provides evidence that a familiar risk comparison within a risk ladder is understood by low‐ and high‐numerate individuals. It especially helps low numerates to better evaluate risk. In the present study, an eye tracker was used to capture individuals’ visual attention to a familiar risk comparison, such as the risk associated with smoking. Two parameters of information processing—efficiency and level—were derived from visual attention. A random sample of participants from the general population (N= 68) interpreted a given risk level with the help of the risk ladder. Numeracy was negatively correlated with overall visual attention on the risk ladder (rs=−0.28, p= 0.01), indicating that the lower the numeracy, the more the time spent looking at the whole risk ladder. Numeracy was positively correlated with the efficiency of processing relevant frequency (rs= 0.34, p

Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:riskan:v:31:y:2011:i:7:p:1043-1054

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