UV rays or natural radioactivity such as radon are almost omnipresent. However, us, as humans, we often underestimate the dangers of radiation because we cannot perceive them with our senses. This poses a challenge for the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) to effectively inform the population about risks and protective measures.
The aim of this new research project is to determine how different information and communication formats affect risk perception and understanding. Together with partners from market research (INNOFACT AG) and academia (Professor for Risk and Health Communication Constanze Rossmann and Professor for Cartography and Geovisualization Gertrud Schaab), ConPolicy will conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses. Existing information materials such as brochures and social media posts of the BfS as well as map representations will be tested and analyzed. The tests are carried out by means of qualitative individual interviews as well as randomized online experiments.
Further information on the project can be found here.