Citation

Rickard LN. Risk Anal. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Communication & Journalism, University of Maine, 428 Dunn Hall, Orono, ME, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Society for Risk Analysis, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/risa.13415

PMID

31588589

Abstract

A diffuse and interdisciplinary field, risk communication research, is founded on how we understand the process and purpose of communication more generally. To that end, this article outlines two fundamental functions of risk communication: (1) a pragmatic function, in which senders direct messages at audiences (and vice versa), with various intended (and sometimes unintended) effects; and (2) a constitutive function, in which messages re(create) what we mean by "risk" in a given social context, including how we can, and/or should relate to it. Although representing distinct epistemological and theoretical social scientific traditions, these functions necessarily coexist in a broader understanding of risk communication, including its so-called "effectiveness." The article concludes by considering how we might enact this fuller understanding of risk communication's dual functions through engagement in collaborative, sustainability science-oriented research.

© 2019 Society for Risk Analysis.

Language: en

Keywords

Review; risk communication; risk perception; social science