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1 Introduction: Unique Challenges and Opportunities in Communicating Risk and Safety

  • Timothy L. Sellnow and Deanna D. Sellnow
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Communicating Risk and Safety
This chapter is in the book Communicating Risk and Safety

Abstract

This chapter introduces risk and safety communication as interactive strategic communication and provides an overview of the handbook’s structure and content. With mega-risks expanding in frequency and intensity, the world is arguably a global risk society. Risk and safety communication is charged with guiding publics to engage in protective actions that reduce threats and mitigate harms despite the relentless uncertainty of ever-changing risks across time and space. Thus, the essence of risk and safety communication is to encourage compliance by articulating uncertainty within a frame of rhetorical sensitivity. The inherent uncertainty of risk creates fundamental challenges to achieving compliance, not the least of which are literacy limitations regarding science comprehension and numeracy limitations regarding probability awareness. Overcoming these challenges requires a comprehensive understanding of risk both conceptually (in terms of affective and cognitive learning) and pragmatically (in terms of behavioral learning/action/compliance). Thus, the chapters in this handbook provide an overview of and framework for extending research and applications of risk and safety communication across contexts.

Abstract

This chapter introduces risk and safety communication as interactive strategic communication and provides an overview of the handbook’s structure and content. With mega-risks expanding in frequency and intensity, the world is arguably a global risk society. Risk and safety communication is charged with guiding publics to engage in protective actions that reduce threats and mitigate harms despite the relentless uncertainty of ever-changing risks across time and space. Thus, the essence of risk and safety communication is to encourage compliance by articulating uncertainty within a frame of rhetorical sensitivity. The inherent uncertainty of risk creates fundamental challenges to achieving compliance, not the least of which are literacy limitations regarding science comprehension and numeracy limitations regarding probability awareness. Overcoming these challenges requires a comprehensive understanding of risk both conceptually (in terms of affective and cognitive learning) and pragmatically (in terms of behavioral learning/action/compliance). Thus, the chapters in this handbook provide an overview of and framework for extending research and applications of risk and safety communication across contexts.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series V
  3. Contents VII
  4. 1 Introduction: Unique Challenges and Opportunities in Communicating Risk and Safety 1
  5. Section 1: Fundamental Principles and Perspectives When Communicating Risk and Safety
  6. 2 Communicating Safety and Risk: Advancement of a Field in Constant Uncertainty 13
  7. 3 Communicating with Numbers: Challenges and Potential Solutions 33
  8. 4 Translating Data into Intelligible Risk and Safety Guidelines 57
  9. 5 Disaster Fatigue, Communication, and Resilience: Insights from Natural Hazards, Human-Caused Disasters, and Public Health Crises 77
  10. 6 The COVID-19 Pandemic as Exemplar of the Chaos of Mega-Crises 97
  11. Section 2: Rhetorical Considerations When Communicating Risk and Safety
  12. 7 Rhetorical Sensitivity and Crisis and Risk Communication: Extension of a Theory 111
  13. 8 Emotions in Risk and Crisis Communication: An Individual and Networked Perspective 123
  14. 9 Narratives in Collision: Crisis and Pragmatic Dialogic Learning 143
  15. 10 Applying Dialogic Theory to Risk and Problem Solving 159
  16. 11 Embracing Dialogue While Cultivating Convergence: Organizational Challenges in Responsibly Communicating Risk 179
  17. 12 The Function of Stasis in Risk and Safety Controversies 197
  18. Section 3: Ethical Dilemmas When Communicating Risk and Safety
  19. 13 Risk Communication: A Communication Ethics Perspective 219
  20. 14 The Ethic of First and Second Things in Communicating Risk and Safety 237
  21. 15 Ethical Obligations in Communicating Risk and Safety: Standards of Dialogue, Uncertainty, Change, and Truthfulness 255
  22. Section 4: Cultural Imperatives When Communicating Risk and Safety
  23. 16 Culture-centered Approach to Risk Communication 269
  24. 17 “All Knowledge Is Local”: The PEN-3 Model as a Guide to Overcoming Western/ European Bias in Risk Communication about Global Health Concerns in East Africa 285
  25. 18 Communities of Practice Approach to Safety Communication 301
  26. Section 5: Instructional Perspectives and Compliance-Gaining When Communicating Risk and Safety
  27. 19 Instruction as Self-Protection 321
  28. 20 Mobile Instructional Communication for Public Safety and Community Resilience 339
  29. 21 From Risks to Crisis Society: The Drivers of the Public Health Communication Paradigm Shift 359
  30. 22 Earthquake Risk Communication of Individual Protective Actions for Big Earthquakes: A Situational Choreography Model Based on Social Communication Engineering 379
  31. Section 6: Media and Technological Considerations When Communicating Risk and Safety
  32. 23 Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model 413
  33. 24 Understanding Contemporary Infodemics through the Risk Amplification through Media Spread (RAMS) Model 453
  34. 25 Spotting Risks: How to Integrate Social Media Listening to a Framework of Assessing Risks 473
  35. 26 Emergent Organizations and Post-Disaster Risk: Volunteerism in the Digital Age 493
  36. 27 Communicating and Perceiving Risks of Artificial Intelligence as an Emerging Technology 503
  37. Section 7: Future Considerations: Untangling Issues of (Mis)Trust When Communicating Risk and Safety
  38. 28 The Role of Trust and Distrust in Risk and Safety Communication 529
  39. 29 It’s Complicated . . . : Exploring Vaccination Attitudes and the Vaccination Infodemic in the UK throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic 551
  40. 30 Communicating to Mitigate Behavioral Cyber Risks: The Case of Employee Vulnerability 585
  41. 31 Building or Unbuilding Trust? A Reflection on Governments, News Media, and Businesses’ Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic 607
  42. Contributors 627
  43. Index 637
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110752427-001

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series V
  3. Contents VII
  4. 1 Introduction: Unique Challenges and Opportunities in Communicating Risk and Safety 1
  5. Section 1: Fundamental Principles and Perspectives When Communicating Risk and Safety
  6. 2 Communicating Safety and Risk: Advancement of a Field in Constant Uncertainty 13
  7. 3 Communicating with Numbers: Challenges and Potential Solutions 33
  8. 4 Translating Data into Intelligible Risk and Safety Guidelines 57
  9. 5 Disaster Fatigue, Communication, and Resilience: Insights from Natural Hazards, Human-Caused Disasters, and Public Health Crises 77
  10. 6 The COVID-19 Pandemic as Exemplar of the Chaos of Mega-Crises 97
  11. Section 2: Rhetorical Considerations When Communicating Risk and Safety
  12. 7 Rhetorical Sensitivity and Crisis and Risk Communication: Extension of a Theory 111
  13. 8 Emotions in Risk and Crisis Communication: An Individual and Networked Perspective 123
  14. 9 Narratives in Collision: Crisis and Pragmatic Dialogic Learning 143
  15. 10 Applying Dialogic Theory to Risk and Problem Solving 159
  16. 11 Embracing Dialogue While Cultivating Convergence: Organizational Challenges in Responsibly Communicating Risk 179
  17. 12 The Function of Stasis in Risk and Safety Controversies 197
  18. Section 3: Ethical Dilemmas When Communicating Risk and Safety
  19. 13 Risk Communication: A Communication Ethics Perspective 219
  20. 14 The Ethic of First and Second Things in Communicating Risk and Safety 237
  21. 15 Ethical Obligations in Communicating Risk and Safety: Standards of Dialogue, Uncertainty, Change, and Truthfulness 255
  22. Section 4: Cultural Imperatives When Communicating Risk and Safety
  23. 16 Culture-centered Approach to Risk Communication 269
  24. 17 “All Knowledge Is Local”: The PEN-3 Model as a Guide to Overcoming Western/ European Bias in Risk Communication about Global Health Concerns in East Africa 285
  25. 18 Communities of Practice Approach to Safety Communication 301
  26. Section 5: Instructional Perspectives and Compliance-Gaining When Communicating Risk and Safety
  27. 19 Instruction as Self-Protection 321
  28. 20 Mobile Instructional Communication for Public Safety and Community Resilience 339
  29. 21 From Risks to Crisis Society: The Drivers of the Public Health Communication Paradigm Shift 359
  30. 22 Earthquake Risk Communication of Individual Protective Actions for Big Earthquakes: A Situational Choreography Model Based on Social Communication Engineering 379
  31. Section 6: Media and Technological Considerations When Communicating Risk and Safety
  32. 23 Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model 413
  33. 24 Understanding Contemporary Infodemics through the Risk Amplification through Media Spread (RAMS) Model 453
  34. 25 Spotting Risks: How to Integrate Social Media Listening to a Framework of Assessing Risks 473
  35. 26 Emergent Organizations and Post-Disaster Risk: Volunteerism in the Digital Age 493
  36. 27 Communicating and Perceiving Risks of Artificial Intelligence as an Emerging Technology 503
  37. Section 7: Future Considerations: Untangling Issues of (Mis)Trust When Communicating Risk and Safety
  38. 28 The Role of Trust and Distrust in Risk and Safety Communication 529
  39. 29 It’s Complicated . . . : Exploring Vaccination Attitudes and the Vaccination Infodemic in the UK throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic 551
  40. 30 Communicating to Mitigate Behavioral Cyber Risks: The Case of Employee Vulnerability 585
  41. 31 Building or Unbuilding Trust? A Reflection on Governments, News Media, and Businesses’ Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic 607
  42. Contributors 627
  43. Index 637
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