Synopses & Reviews
"Clear, balanced, and lively." -- Steven Pinker, bestselling author of How the Mind Works
ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE "RIGHT" RISKS?
Do you worry more about radiation from nuclear power or from the sun?
Are you more afraid of getting cancer than heart disease?
Are you safer talking on your cell phone or using a hands-free device when you drive?
Do you think global warming is a serious threat to your health?
GET THE FACTS BEHIND YOUR FEARSAND DISCOVER . . . HOW RISKY IS IT, REALLY?
International risk expert David Ropeik takes an in-depth look at our perceptions of risk and explains the hidden factors that make us unnecessarily afraid of relatively small threats and not afraid enough of some really big ones. This read is a comprehensive, accessible, and entertaining mixture of what's been discovered about how and why we feartoo much or too little. It brings into focus the danger of The Perception Gap: when our fears dont match the facts, and we make choices that create additional risks.
This book will not decide for you what is really risky and what isn't. That's up to you. HOW RISKY IS IT, REALLY? will tell you how you make those decisions. Understanding how we perceive risk is the first step toward making wiser and healthier choices for ourselves as individuals and for society as a whole.
TEST YOUR OWN "RISK RESPONSE" IN DOZENS OF SELF-QUIZZES!
Synopsis
Overcome fears and make better choices by understanding risk
More people die of the common flu than they would if they contracted the swine flu. But more people fear swine flu because they think it's more dangerous. Risk expert David Ropeik explains how we are hardwired to fear first and think second, causing us to misjudge actual dangers. How Risky Is It, Really? gives readers a fresh, new perspective for how we should perceive risks in our daily lives in order to make more informed decisions about them. This is a must-read for anyone involved in health and safety as well as anyone who wants to understand why we fear what we do--and whether we should.
The perception (and misperception) of risk has profound effects on everything from environmental policy to foreign policy, from our health and consumer decisions to our sense of security and well-being. It is a topic at the frontier of research in cognitive science, economics, and political science. This book is a clear, balanced, and lively introduction to this crucial body of knowledge.
-Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and bestselling author of How the Mind Works and The Stuff of Thought
Synopsis
GET THE FACTS BEHIND YOUR FEARS-AND DISCOVER...
HOW RISKY IS IT, REALLY?
World-renowned risk expert David Ropeik takes an in-depth look at our most common anxieties-from the real dangers we face every day to the irrational fears that give us nightmares. Exploring the psychological process of fear itself, this fascinating book shines new light on why we fear the things we fear-and how we can retrain our brains to conquer those fears: Calmly. Rationally. Intelligently. Once you understand what really drives your inner fears-and discover the facts behind such common fears as flying, bio-terrorism, and other perceived dangers-you can reduce the needless stress in your life, focus on the things that really matter, and live happily, peacefully...and courageously.
How Risky is it, Really? provides a simple step-by-step plan so you can: CONQUER YOUR FEARS before they conquer you. EVALUATE RISK LEVELS of everyday dangers CONTROL YOUR RESPONSE to possible threats MAKE SMARTER CHOICES based on facts not fear
TEST YOUR OWN RISK RESPONSE IN DOZENS OF SELF-QUIZZES
About the Author
David Ropeik is an international consultant and widely sought-after public speaker on risk perception and risk communication. Ropeik is an instructor at the Harvard University Extension School's Environmental Management Program and taught risk perception and risk communication at Harvard School of Public Heath (2000-2006). He was a commentator on risk for NPR Morning Edition program and has been a guest host for NPR's “The Connection.” He has written articles about risk perception for The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, LA Times, and The Boston Globe, and Nova among others.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One – This is Your Brain on Fear: The Neuroscience of The Risk Response
Amygdala to the Rescue
The Fear Response Continues
Built-in Fears
Chapter Two – Bounded Rationality: Reason Alone Cant Keep You Safe
Reasoning by Instinct
The Framing Effect
Categorization - The Representativeness Effect
Loss Aversion
Anchoring and Adjustment
The Ready Recall/Awareness Effect
Innumeracy
Optimism Bias
Chapter Three – Fear Factors: Why Some Threats Feel Scarier Than Others
Risk Perception Factors
Trust
Risk versus Benefit
Control
Choice
Natural versus Human-Made
Pain and Suffering
Uncertainty
Catastrophic or Chronic
Can It Happen to Me?
New or Familiar Risk
Risk to Children
Personification
Chapter Four –The Wisdom, or The Madness, of The Crowds?
A Conversation About Climate Change
Cultural Cognition
Chicken Little, Polyanna, and Other Social Forces
And Thats The Way It Is
Chapter Five – Closing The Perception Gap
The Risk of Getting Risk “Wrong”, As Individuals
The Risk of Getting Risk “Wrong”, As a Society
Toward Healthy Individual Choices
Toward Healthy Choices as A Society
Conclusion
End Notes