Risk

Risk is generally understood as a possibility of an event with potentially negative consequences. In order to judge the risk of an event or activity, individuals need to perceive and mentally represent this possibility and the associated negative consequences. It is therefore often more correct to talk about risk as a subjective construct. Subjective risk perception has been broadly studied, with an emphasis on the acceptance of different kinds of dangers at both individual and societal levels. Research focuses on such things as the cognitive and emotional characteristics of risk perception (i.e., the psychological approach) as well as on the sociocultural aspects of risks (i.e., cultural theory). This chapter discusses the different layers that characterize the definition of risk and examines some of the scientific approaches to the study of risk. It also includes an analysis of the research methodology on risk perception and highlights the connection between risk and the possible.