1.What is the paradox that exists if we consider today=s risk levels (according to experts) and the public=s level of fear? In what ways might this paradox be related to the kinds of risks we face today (rather than their severity)? What are the costs of a Azero-risk society?@

2. One of Slovic=s main points is that professional risk assessors and the public understand risk differently. Where do the experts= assessments come from?

3. What did Starr (1969, reference #14) find when examining how the degree of Avoluntariness@ affected acceptance of risk?

4. On what risk (that Slovic discusses) do experts and the public show the greatest disagreement? Where does Slovic suggest that the public=s perceptions of this risk come from?

5. What two main factors does Slovic identify as making the biggest difference in the public=s perceptions of risk? How are the factors related to perceived risk? What is the third factor also often found?

6. What is the Aripple effect@ that Slovic describes occurring when there is a mishap? The largest ripple effects are related to mishaps associated with what kind of risks?

1. When Flynn et al. asked various demographic groups about risks associated with 25 hazards, who generally rated risks higher?

2. How was the Ahazard index@ created? Were the demographic differences found for the hazard index also seen in most individual risks?

3. One group in particular shows lower risk ratings? Who are they? Later in the article, the researchers describe additional characteristics of the people who rate risks the lowest. What are they? If income, political orientation and education are controlled for, do race and gender differences go away in risk perception?

4. What explanations do Flynn et al. suggest for the gender differences they find? What are some limitations to the explanation relying on women=s lack of science knowledge?

5. What is environmental racism? How might it contribute to the racial differences Flynn et al. found?

6. The authors suggest white males may perceive less risk in the world because they control and benefit from so much of it. Do you agree?