ABSTRACT
Risk characterization is the fourth and final step in risk assessment. The risk analyst must realize that the risk characterization is not the end, it is merely of many inputs to a decision. Risk communication is a natural extension of risk characterization. People’s perceptions of environmental and occupational risk is shaped to some degree by personal observations, but perhaps more broadly by the news media. The public does misperceive risks because of the biases in their sources of information, but the difference in perception of risk between experts-and the public is much deeper than that. It strikes at the very concept of what risk means. Risk characterization’s purpose is to communicate the risk to policy makers or the public. Recent findings in risk perception demonstrate biases in public perception of risks that must be overcome to communicate the scientific information in the assessment.
