OVERVIEW

People’s behaviour in relation to a risk depends on many factors: cognitive, emotional, social, political, and cultural. Risk communication faces the challenging goal to tackle as many factors as possible, in order to foster a proper perception of risks and, consequently, safe behaviors. This loop between perception and communication must be monitored. This class will address these issues, in order to provide the tools to promote resilience and safety of a community.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The module aims at exploring how individuals perceive, assess, and communicate risks in various contexts concerning environmental hazards. Through interdisciplinary perspectives from psychology, sociology, communication studies, and risk analysis, students delve into the cognitive, emotional, and social factors influencing risk perception. The module also examines strategies for effective risk communication, including message framing, visual aids, and the role of media and technology. By critically analyzing case studies and current research, students develop a nuanced understanding of how risk perception shapes public attitudes, policies, and behaviors.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

After an introduction to the several approaches to investigate and model human risk perception, we will describe the communication strategies more effective for promoting a proper risk perception in the community.

At the end of the class, the students will be able to:

- describe the main approaches to model risk perception

- apply the risk perception theories to specific case studies and different environmental risks

- describe on the most recent communication strategies to trigger behavioural changes in citizens

- list the main phases of risk communication plans

- apply the communication principles to specific case studies

- describe the main characteristics of crisis communication

PREREQUISITES

No prerequisites needed

TEACHING METHODS

·      Frontal teaching

·      Case studies

·      Video analysis

·      Group activities

·      Talks

Working students and students with DSA, disability or other special educational needs certification are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the class to agree on teaching and exam methods which, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning patterns.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- introduction to the class

- definition of risk and risk perception

- rational approach to risk perception

- neurophysiology of risk perception

- risk perception and decision making

- bounded rationality

- heuristics and biases

- the psychometric paradigm of risk perception

- personal characteristics that affect risk perception

- social and cultural factors in risk perception

- risk perception models

- risk communication models

- nudge approach to risk communication

- effective communication of risks

- crisis communication

- dealing with the media

This class contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda:

Goal no. 3 Health and well-being

Ensuring health and well-being for all and for all ages

Goal no. 11 Sustainable cities and communities

Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, durable and sustainable

Goal no. 13 Combating climate change

Take urgent measures to combat climate change and its consequences

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following reading material is compulsory for the preparation for the exam. The slides alone are not enough for a proper preparation.

- slides on aulaweb

- Pamela (Ferrante) Walaski (2011). Risk and Crisis Communications: Methods and Messages, New York, Wiley.

- David Ropeik (2010). How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don't Always Match the Facts. McGraw-Hill

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/en/corsi/10553/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Students with learning disorders ("disturbi specifici di apprendimento", DSA) will be allowed to use specific modalities and supports that will be determined on a case-by-case basis in agreement with the delegate of the Engineering courses in the Committee for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities.

Exam for students attending the class

The exam is structured in two steps:

1. presentation of a research paper chosen among those posted on the Aulaweb page of the class. The assignment is a powerpoint presentation where you provide a detailed description of the paper. After each presentation, all the other students must ask at least one question to the presenter.

2. written exam with open-ended questions about the main topics of the course

Exam for students not attending the class

Written exam with open-ended questions about the main topics of the course

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For students attending the class, the assessment will concern:

- capacity to synthetise the main topics of the chosen paper

- capacity to express the contents with clarity and precision of terminology

- capacity to link the presentation to the topics discussed in the program

- correcteness and completeness of answers in the written test

For students not attending the class, the assessment will concern:

- correcteness and completeness of answers in the written test

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Prof. Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it), the disability liaison for the Engineering study programs.