Citation

Salmon CT, Park HS, Wrigley BJ. J. Health Commun. 2003; 8(Suppl 1): 130-143.

Affiliation

College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA. salmon@msu.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

14692582

Abstract

The notion that individuals believe that they are more likely than others to experience positive events and avoid negative ones is a well-documented phenomenon in the combined literatures of social psychology and health communication. The current study focuses on Michigan corporate spokespersons' perceptions of their company's risk and potential for optimistic bias. Beginning on September 10, 2001, and continuing through October 2001, telephone surveys were conducted by a professional survey research firm to assess spokespersons' awareness of and preparedness for a bioterrorism attack at their corporation, as well as to ascertain perceived self-risk relative to that of other, similar corporations. The results offer evidence of a robust optimistic bias, and provide an unusually timely snapshot of levels of corporate awareness of bioterrorism during a critical period of time in which the U.S. experienced its first anthrax attack.

Language: en