Risk perceptions in Australia

Research on perceptions of risk in Australia began only recently. Typically, data from other countries were used to determine what hazards might be considered most and least risky by the Australian public. Relying on overseas data is problematic, however, because cultural contexts may influence risk perceptions. To address the paucity of data on risk perceptions in Australia, we obtained relative risk ratings for 30 hazardous technologies and activities from 40 Australian undergraduate students. The results suggested that, while there are some similarities with other countries, there are also some unique features in Australian risk perceptions. Researchers should investigate the reasons underlying similarities and differences in risk perceptions across cultures.