The Environment Canada Policy Research Seminar Series

Dr. John Eyles March 21, 2003

On Friday, March 21, 2003, the Environment Canada Policy Research Seminar Series hosted Dr. John Eyles. Dr. Eyles delivered a thought-provoking presentation entitled "The Culture of Fear and Environmental Health: Making Policy in Uncertain Times". The following is a précis of the seminar.

As a society, our perceptions of health risks and responses to them, often seem inconsistent and perhaps irrational. Many health risks we perceive as great (such as the risk of brain cancer from cell phone use, or the risks associated with the spread of West Nile virus by mosquitoes) are often statistically far less likely to occur than more routine risks we face through our everyday behaviour (such as accidents from motor vehicle use or recreational activities). Over several generations, our society has incrementally developed a "safety culture", that is, a culture that has instilled fears and an ever diminishing tolerance for risks.

As a society, we tend to choose the type and number of dangers we worry about. Selection of our fears is influenced by a number of factors, including media bias, whether a given risk taps into our insecurities, offends our basic moral principles, or even permits criticism of disliked groups and institutions and provides symbols to attack or identify with. Risk perception research reveals that individuals typically find it difficult to evaluate expertise, and so they simplify. Individuals seem to pay more attention to what the potential consequences are than their probability of occurrence. Furthermore, once people perceive a potential risk, it becomes difficult to change that initial perception.

The business of selling fear is pervasive and has been enhanced by the emergence of the Internet. The media plays an important role in informing the public of health and environmental risks, but the quality and accuracy of reporting on issues is not guaranteed, and is biased toward sensational and dramatic stories. Fear is a common side-effect.

Given that producing fear is easier than diminishing it, how should we manage public fears? Part of the answer lies in the development of trust. We need to develop and maintain trust, and cultivate respect in institutions. For this, we need to examine history and the roots of trust. Since the early 1980s, trust in western government institutions has fallen. But although trust in government is low, public expectation of its responsibility for the protection of health and the environment remains high. Conflicting conclusions from different scientific studies contribute to public skepticism and to speculation about conflicts of interest related to the sources of funding.

Consultation and communication with the public can help garner trust in public institutions. Public participation in decision-making can contribute to this cause, as well as involving experts skilled at communicating risks. Finally, if we are to reduce the fearful aspect of our culture, we also need to learn from our mistakes - to examine history to look at instances where trust in government was lost.