Perceptions of risk

Abstract

This review consolidates the research on perceptions of risk and its antecedents to improve our understanding of the factors that influence perceptions of risk. The evidence is evaluated against the available models, theories and explanations. Online databases, relevant journals and books were searched using keywords resulting in a total of 30 papers being included in this review. It was found that the literature provided support for previous victimization, experienced both directly and vicariously, gender, race, income, perceptions of crime rates and incivilities, having a consistent effect on perceptions of risk of criminal victimization. Perceived risk was shown to have a strong influence on fear of crime, and the relationship was also found by one study to be reciprocal (Rader et al., 2007). The risk interpretation model (Ferraro, 1995) was supported by the literature but is still in need of continuing development in light of new research. The findings could be used to help reduce risk perception to a level more in line with actual risk and thus reduce fear of crime and in turn increase quality of life.

Developing a model of perceptions of security and insecurity in the context of crime

“…These findings suggest that participants who think they live in areas with lower crime rates where they feel safe are found to express more positive attitudes towards the police than do those who live in areas where there are higher crime rates where they do not feel safe (Cheng, 2015;Hwang, McGarrell, & Benson, 2005;Skogan, 2005). Areas with perceived low crime rates are associated with greater collective efficacy, where participants have a greater social cohesion and level of interaction with their neighbours, which is consistent with the findings of previous research (Hicks & Brown, 2013). We found that those who feel they live in ethnically diverse neighbourhoods see more Signs of Social and Physical Disorder and have lower Collective Efficacy and Trust in Police.…”

“…Research examining crime-related risk has ranged from the perception of how safe it is being alone at night, the perceived likelihood of becoming a victim in general or of specified individual offences, or perceptions of an increase of crime, to a perceived neighbourhood criminality (Hicks & Brown, 2013). It is increasingly accepted that measuring perceived risk requires a careful definition of who is perceived to be at risk (i.e.…”

“…Contextual-level theories of fear of crime focus on environmental factors that might affect fear of crime (Henson & Reyns, 2015). Social disorder and incivilities have a link with fear of crime and can be both physical and socialfor example, physical factors including litter and broken windows are argued to increase fear of crime (Henson & Reyns, 2015;Hicks & Brown, 2013;Scarborough, Like-Haislip, Novak, Lucas, & Alarid, 2010). Areas with high levels of crime are further argued to also have an effect on the levels of fear of crime of the citizens living within them (Breetzke & Pearson, 2014).…”

“…Generally, fear of crime can be defined as an emotional response to a danger or threat of an actual or potential criminal incident, whereas perceived risk may be seen as a cognitive response resulting from an assessment of the likelihood of being victimised (Henson & Reyns, 2015). However, these concepts share a considerable overlap, and the relationship between fear of crime and perceived risk has been suggested to be causal as well as reciprocal (Hicks & Brown, 2013). Additionally, fear of crime may be related to crime-specific worry as well as anxiety in general, and the different types of fear have different effects on citizens' behaviours and general well-being (Gray, Jackson, & Farrall, 2011;Jackson & Gray, 2010, Karakus, McGarrell, & Basibuyuk, 2010.…”

I Can See Clearly Now: Episodic Future Thinking and Imaginability in Perceptions of Climate-Related Risk Events

“…One closing methodological issue is the inequality in the gender distribution, with women accounting for approximately 78 percent of the sample. With prior research suggesting gender differences in some areas of risk perception, we might get different results with a more equally distributed sample (Hicks and Brown, 2013). However, there are no clear arguments for assuming that gender moderates either the relationship between EFT and perceived risk or the interaction between EFT and imaginability.…”