Honors 101 - Science and the Public Good
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Risk Activity

Perception of Risk

1. In your group, sort the activity cards into three piles: high-risk, medium-risk, low-risk. Use your own definition of risk, but keep track of the notions of risk that arise in your discussions. Put a Post-it on each pile labeled high, medium or low.
2. On your whiteboard, list all the factors you considered in assigning a card to a risk pile. What factors matter in how you perceive risk?
3. Now look at the charts of how different groups of people rated the risk of each of these activities. The “experts” used the mortality rate of each activity to rate the risk of each activity. Why do you think the other groups’ assessment of risk were different from the “experts”?
4. Who is right about the risks? What factors should be considered when regulating risks or allocating funds for mitigating risks?
5. Individually, write up your answers to questions #3 & 4.