OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER’S CHIEF SCIENCE ADVISOR
Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, KNZM FRSNZ FMedSci FRS
Chief Science Advisor
Media Release
23 November 2016
Making Decisions in the Face of Uncertainty: Understanding Risk
Part 2: Risk perception, communication and management
Embargoed until 9 am Thursday 24rd November
Sir Peter Gluckman, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, will release the second in a three-part series of papers
on risk and decision-making on 24th November.
The paper takes a close look at concepts of risk perception, conscious and unconscious bias and other factors that can
shape individual and societal responses to multiple types of risk.
“The shocks that nature has thrown at many New Zealanders over the past week are an important reminder that we live with
a whole spectrum of risks,” said Sir Peter, “but this paper is not about natural hazards per se.” Instead, Sir Peter
explains that his goal over the course of the three-paper series is to “deepen the national discussion” about how we
respond to uncertain situations, when science just can’t give us all the answers.
“By definition our human capacities and ability to continuously innovate in both the social and technological realms
means that we will always live with some uncertainty - and I wanted to explore that theme. Why are some risks more
acceptable than others? Why do people react differently when faced with similar risks? Why are some people or societies
more willing to take risks? How do societies collectively identify risks, when it is not only a scientific but also a
values-based calculation that is required, and not all the facts can be known?”
With illustrative examples, the paper distils the academic literature on risk perception and assessment. The third and
final paper in the series is expected to take a closer look at our governmental risk management approaches (including in
crises) and our collective societal decision making over the use of technologies and innovations. It will be released in
early 2017.
-ENDS-