title: Beyond the knowledge deficit: recent research into lay and expert attitudes to food risks.
abstract: The paper reviews psychological and social scientific research on lay attitudes to food risks. Many experts (scientists, food producers and public health advisors) regard public unease about food risks as excessive. This expert-lay discrepancy is often attributed to a 'knowledge deficit' among lay people. However, much research in psychology and sociology suggests that lay risk assessments are complex, situationally sensitive expressions of personal value systems. The paper is organised around four themes: risk perception, the communication of risk, lay handling of risk, and public trust in institutions and experts. It suggests that an interdisciplinary, contextualised and psychologically sound approach to the study of risk is needed.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bioethics and Risk Assessment, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark. janus.hansen@iue.it
authors.forename: Janus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frewer
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandøe
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D003142:Communication; D005104:Expert Testimony; D005502:Food; D005511:Food Handling; D010465:Perception; D011594:Psychometrics; D011639:Public Opinion; D012306:Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment