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Mental models and social representations of hazards: the significance of identity processes

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  • Glynis M. Breakwell

Abstract

This article examines the social influence processes that underpin the development of individual mental models of hazards and analyses the role that identity processes play in determining the nature and plasticity of the representations of risk that an individual will employ. It outlines the nature of the mental models approach (Morgan, Fischhoff, Bostrom and Atman, in press) to developing interventions in risk communication. It describes how social representations theory (Moscovici, 1988) can be used to account for the genesis and maintenance of a mental model of a hazard. In doing so, it is argued that mental models of hazards are social constructions, serving identifiable social purposes for the subculture in which they are elaborated, and that they are generally shared by the members of that subculture. However, within a group or subculture, there will be some individual variation in access to and use of a mental model of a hazard. It is suggested here that these variations are largely predictable on the basis of identity processes (Breakwell, in press). The implications of this analysis for risk communication strategies is explored.

Suggested Citation

  • Glynis M. Breakwell, 2001. "Mental models and social representations of hazards: the significance of identity processes," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(4), pages 341-351, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jriskr:v:4:y:2001:i:4:p:341-351
    DOI: 10.1080/13669870110062730
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    Cited by:

    1. Patrick Cox & Jörg Niewöhner & Nick Pidgeon & Simon Gerrard & Baruch Fischhoff & Donna Riley, 2003. "The Use of Mental Models in Chemical Risk Protection: Developing a Generic Workplace Methodology," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(2), pages 311-324, April.
    2. Lucia Bosone & Raquel Bertoldo, 2022. "The Greater the Contact, the Closer the Threat: The Influence of Contact with Nature on the Social Perception of Biodiversity Loss and the Effectiveness of Conservation Behaviours," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Jamie K. Wardman, 2008. "The Constitution of Risk Communication in Advanced Liberal Societies," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1619-1637, December.
    4. Meredith Frances Dobbie & Rebekah Ruth Brown, 2014. "A Framework for Understanding Risk Perception, Explored from the Perspective of the Water Practitioner," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 34(2), pages 294-308, February.
    5. Farsari, Ioanna, 2018. "A structural approach to social representations of destination collaboration in Idre, Sweden," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 1-12.
    6. Pavel Raška & Vilém Zábranský & Jakub Dubišar & Antonín Kadlec & Alena Hrbáčová & Tomáš Strnad, 2014. "Documentary proxies and interdisciplinary research on historic geomorphologic hazards: a discussion of the current state from a central European perspective," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 70(1), pages 705-732, January.
    7. Branden B. Johnson, 2004. "Arguments for Testing Ethnic Identity and Acculturation as Factors in Risk Judgments," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(5), pages 1279-1287, October.

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