RiskRisk compensation postulates that everyone has a "risk thermostat" and that safety measures that do not affect the setting of the thermostat will be circumvented by behaviour that re-establishes the level of risk with which people were originally comfortable. It explains why, for example, motorists drive faster after a bend in the road is straightened. Cultural theory explains risk-taking behaviour by the operation of cultural filters. It postulates that behaviour is governed by the probable costs and benefits of alternative courses of action which are perceived through filters formed from all the previous incidents and associations in the risk-taker's life.; "Risk" should be of interest to many readers throughout the social sciences and in the world of industry, business, engineering, finance and public administration, since it deals with a fundamental part of human behaviour that has enormous financial and economic implications. |
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Risk: The Policy Implications of Risk Compensation and Plural Rationaities John Adams No preview available - 1995 |
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accept action appears argued associated assume attempts authority balancing become behaviour believe benefits Britain cause cent Chapter claims concern concludes considered cost-benefit analysis costs countries cultural theory danger death debate decisions decrease Department discussed driving economic effect egalitarian engineers environment estimates evidence example existence expected fatalities Figure filters further future global greenhouse Guide helmets hierarchist human increase individual individualist injuries legislation less limits lives London loss measures million motor nature numbers objective perceived perception person physical possible potential present probability problem produce question recorded reduce regulation requires response result rewards risk road accident safety scientific seat belt law shows Society speed statistics suggests threat tion traffic Transport trend uncertainty vehicles warming