Risk Archives

Home Risk

Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on March 28th, 1979, the day of the site's partial meltdown.

News in Brief

A Majority of Americans Oppose Nuclear Power. How Does Nuclear ‘Dread’ Affect Their Perceptions?

A new study finds that the public is more supportive of nuclear power when looking only at numbers about calculated risk—without knowing it's nuclear power they're dealing with.

Leah Dunlevy

Social Justice

Will the Zika Virus Outbreak Change Minds About GMOs?

The Zika virus outbreak in the Americas hits on the things that risk-perception researchers know worry people most. Will that be enough to overcome people's fears about genetically modified mosquitoes?

Francie Diep

Social Justice

The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: The National Science Foundation Fellow With a Passion for Working Around the Clock

We canvassed the world of the social and behavioral sciences, looking for rising stars whose careers promise to make a lasting mark. We'll be profiling the top 30 throughout the month of April.

Avital Andrews

Social Justice

Thank God for Risky Behavior

New research finds thoughts of the almighty increase our propensity to take chances, unless morality is involved.

Tom Jacobs

News in Brief

Americans Want to Fire Their Congressmen. Here’s Why They Won’t

We may not approve of the jobs they're doing, but we're also unlikely to take a risk by replacing our elected representatives—especially when economic times are tough.

Eric Horowitz

Social Justice

The Odds on My Baby

How much is enough certainty to make a decision about life or death, sickness or health?

Bonnie Tsui

Social Justice

Do You Understand the Risks of Tylenol? Probably Not

Most Americans know that overdosing can be dangerous but many wrongly think it’s safe to mix drugs containing acetaminophen, a nationwide poll found.

T. Christian Miller & Jeff Gerth

Education

How Parents Shape Their Kids’ Risk Tolerance

A new working paper outlines how mom and dad can influence their child's levels of risk tolerance and trust, traits that have a significant impact on career outcome.

Michael Fitzgerald

Social Justice

Everything Is Risky, Except Being 7 Years Old

A conversation with the authors of a new book about risk, how our decisions change it, and how it changes our decisions.

Ryan O'Hanlon