Intuitive Toxicology: Lay People's Risk Perception

Synthetic chemicals in the environment and in foods are objects of many health concerns. Past research suggests that lay people are more concerned about synthetic chemicals compared with other chemicals. Little is known,... [ view full abstract ]

Synthetic chemicals in the environment and in foods are objects of many health concerns. Past research suggests that lay people are more concerned about synthetic chemicals compared with other chemicals. Little is known, however, what heuristics people use in making decisions regarding the risks of chemicals. If results of risk assessments and risk perceptions substantially differ, this may result in non-optimal decisions. Consumers may substitute less risky options by more risky options. Regulations may also be influenced through a biased risk perception. I will present results that suggest that people use perceived naturalness of the substance or the product name for their risk evaluations. Furthermore, I will present results of a study that examined lay people’s and experts’ risk perception of various household cleaning and washing products. Results suggest that consumers have a rather accurate understanding of the dangerousness of different cleaning products, but exhibit misconceptions related to the risk of eco-labeled cleaning products. Risk regulators and communicators should focus on biases in lay people’s risk perception, in order to ensure safe handling of chemicals.