Risk and Perception Analysis - Critical Summary

This paper reflects upon the highlighted points raised by Clarke in his theory of “Societal attitudes towards risk”. The risk is often remarked as the proportionate measure of the degree of magnitude along with probability in adverse circumstances. The societal attitude towards risk is completely based upon the dimensions of attitudes, values, social influences and elements of cultural identity. The limited propagation of drug safety has been addressed by Clarke. Lastly, the extended future of risk will be more reasonable endeavour than its relevant past only if it is tactfully managed.

Running head: RISK AND PERCEPTION ANALYSIS
Risk And Perception Analysis

RISK AND PERCEPTION ANALYSIS 1
Critical summary
This paper reflects upon the highlighted points raised by Clarke in his theory of “Societal
attitudes towards risk”. The risk is often remarked as the proportionate measure of the
degree of magnitude along with probability in adverse circumstances. Since, long-time
people have been facing this issue. Instead, it is seen as the apparent inability of the people
to cope reasonably with the surrounding environment. It is prominently forecasted as the
management problem for the disturbed ability. People are not able to identify and carry out
the proceedings as per the requirements (Clark, 1980). As a result, to cope up with the
aforesaid the nature of risk and their respective ways of occurrence must be scrutinized.
Risk cannot be eliminated but it can be controlled so that harm caused is also less. It is
only possible when completeness and certainties attached to the frames of traditional
science is studied.
To analyse the chaos of risk in society, the fundamental need for the individuals is to
mandate, appraise and inescapably structure the contradictory and partial knowledge so
that more fair outcomes can be achieved. Furthermore, Clarke stated that the
understanding of risk shall be on the grounds of policy investigation instead of embedded
science. The learning’s derived forecasts that the societal abilities to manage the risk of
unknown are completely based upon the parameters of flexibility associated with the
respective individuals. The society must be capable enough to experiment the new
alternatives which could minimise the propensity of risk. Further, it was also added by
Clarke that the societal outcomes are incompetent to manage the risk due to which the
health of people started degrading in the real world scenarios. It was critically reviewed
that the society needs to show positive aspects to co-operate with the people in create
benefit for them.
The societal attitude towards risk is completely based upon the dimensions of attitudes,
values, social influences and elements of cultural identity. Individuals are surrounded by
quantum of fears which formulates risk such as fear of injury, loss as well as unknown.
However, personal risk is recognised as a conventional part of life. The gap lies in the
behaviour pattern and extended response between the groups of society. Apparently,
people react in diversified manner when the decisions are made involuntarily since the
respective choices are not fulfilled. The society is always expected to have diverse views
on the benchmark of voluntary and involuntary acquaintance which is damaging to the

RISK AND PERCEPTION ANALYSIS 2
societal function. Risk in the nature of people stops them from showing good behaviour in
the environment. According to Clarke the fear among them people prohibits them from
changing their attitude and reacting to these changes in a positive manner, and this aspect
creates societal issue.
The attitude of society towards risk assessment is a complex nature of decision making.
There is no stated process to bring along dictatorship where the progression involved is
simple. Significantly, as per Clarke’s theory the weightage of social cost involved must be
studied and weighted as per the necessity. Even in the organised society, difficulty arises
on the parameter of responsibility and accountability. The hierarchy of priority must be
arranged as per the channels of value systems. The analysis of risk is outlined on
magnitudes of limited data, statistics and composed cases. Responsibility and
accountability are two most important aspects in this case that were being overlooked in
the environment. In an organized society, the people do not hold up to take responsibility
of the events and become accountable for the work done by them as well.
Certainly, not all the threats can be sized up with equal accuracy and precision. Also, the
events which pertain to hazards interact with the social, institutional, psychological along
with many cultural processes. The empirical study of Clarke investigated the purposeful
relationship among the numerous set of profound variables which enter into deepening the
process. Some of them are quantum of press coverage, physical consequences, public
responses and perceptions of public responses as well as various party-political and
socioeconomic impacts.
The points raised by Clarke takes into account that many social and perception based
responses are further strongly related to exposure of risk rather than magnitude. The work
on the collection of contemporary risk is bound to have some elements of contradiction.
However, to appreciate this problem a preview on antiquity of societal risk valuation
would be beneficial. Clarke abbreviated the notion of societal risk assessment by “WITCH
HUNTING”. It was realised that inquisition has provided some rapid advancement,
exciting work along with worldwide recognition. The society has for long claimed
“witches “under the prominent label for the cause of their respective unknown fear. The
studies of modern science focus upon the defence making functions against the self-
delusion which relies upon the essence of dangerous enquiry. Further, it was evaluated that

RISK AND PERCEPTION ANALYSIS 3
the modern science theory lays emphasis on lack of the instincts of people to actually
understand the complexity of the issue and initiate activities according to that.
The second point raised in the context of natural and environmental resources which
insights the elementary nature of risk. The overall vision behind this serene is based on the
conceptualization that river which brings irrigation, water and transport also brings along
flood. The failure to deal with the effect will not lead to the ambiguities in future suffering
instead it will be inclined towards the immediate consequences of undernourishment,
sinking and ingestion. Thus, it was concluded that the natural things that helps the human
in their sustainable living also holds the capacity to destroy the basic functional activities
of people.The societal attitude towards such sort of environmental risk is widely
dependent upon the modifications in human behaviour. The mode of adaption is often
found to be irrational and mystical in nature. The individuals frequently exhibit the
distinguished virtues as being affected within a span of time. With the advent of modern
upbringings in society, the attitude is tending to pursue an entirely opposite course of
alteration, monitoring and falling with the variability of the nature. Numerous engineering
projects are prepared by the means of extended capital raised. The resultant was these
projects have been undoubtedly succeeded in attaining varied amount of short term goals.
To overcome with the danger, measures were taken to control the flow of normal river
variations. Now, the society has discovered comprehensive strategies which need to be
devised. Moreover, it was also revealed by Clarke’s that human being later aimed to find
the causes and the resolutions for such degrading natural events. (Romm, Pliskin and
Clarke, 1997). People now are more conscious towards the “disease of cleanliness” to
safeguard themselves from the fatal repercussions of diseases. To fight with majority of
polio cases, immunization and various booster campaigns are practiced in society. On the
contrary, it is also evident that unawareness still remains to be more extensive than
knowledge in the society. The designing of resource management techniques is must so
that failures can be faced in much better way. Thus, it should be noted that now people
have become more conscious and they have started performing activities that reflect
positive outcomes on the environment. This aspect is improving the state of environment
involves the management of resources and securing it for the future generation. If these
resources are managed properly then only the future generation would be able to see it and
make use of it.

RISK AND PERCEPTION ANALYSIS 4
Lastly, the limited propagation of drug safety has been addressed by Clarke. It was
indicated on degree of risk is limited to the individuals who seeks the adjoined benefits.
Moreover, the risk to be adopted must be under the surveillance of trained professional in
order to balance the factors of benefits, risks and alternatives available. Also, the form of
risk shall be evaluated and investigated through the road map of various experiments. In
today’s era, people opt for zero risk approach and are much conscious to recheck the
content and date of expiry. This is done in order to safeguard themselves from the
unanticipated side effects of such drugs. Proper testing procedures are applied before
drugs enter the marketplace. The world now needs techniques that are less expensive and
provide better results when applied in the nature. To gain the societal interest, the policy of
proportional evaluation of supervisory performed needs to be judged upon. The
forthcoming studies shall be empirically based upon what kind of risks the current testing
processes is prone to catch.
I would like to conclude in context of learning’s gained, that to the extent of widely scale
colossal protocols can be avoided: the risk could be possibly managed. Government can
lay down the more specific procedures in order to act as advisor of information. Also,
subsequent competitive strategies and procedure must be designed so that multiple
alternatives can be framed. The evaluation and comparison of actual performance needs to
be addressed at proper gaps. With the modernisation in this phase, individual are more
proactive to cope up as compared to previous experiences of risk, fear and threat. The
extended future of risk will be more reasonable endeavour than its relevant past only if it
is tactfully managed.

RISK AND PERCEPTION ANALYSIS 5
References:
Clark, W.C. (1980) Witches, floods, and wonder drugs: historical perspectives on risk
management. In Societal Risk Assessment (pp. 287-318). Springer, Boston, MA.
Romm, C., Pliskin, N. and Clarke, R., (1997) Virtual communities and society: Toward an
integrative three phase model. International journal of information management, 17(4),
pp.261-270.