Radiation Protection Society needs: - to invest more in the R & D of interaction and communication with society. - to promote a trans-disciplinary approach in radiation protection: natural science & social science & humanities.

1. Copyright ©
SCK•CEN
2014-06-26
Interaction and Communication with Society:
An Underdeveloped Aspect
of Radiation Protection
Tanja Perko
Nuclear Science and Technology Studies (NST)
Institute for Environment, Health and Safety
tperko@sckcen.be
IRPA, Geneva 25th of June 2014 1

2. Copyright © SCK•CEN
2014-06-26
My messages
Radiation Protection Society needs:
 to invest more in the R & D of interaction and communication with society.
to promote a trans-disciplinary approach in radiation protection: natural science & social science & humanities.
Integrate social aspects into radiation protection research
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3. Copyright © SCK•CEN
2014-06-26
An Underdeveloped Aspect 1987- Goiania
J. Rozental,
expert on radiation safety and
general coordinator to respond the
radiological accident in Goiania,
1987
“We were ready to deal with all aspects of nuclear emergency management
except communication.”
Jose Julio Rozental
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2014-06-26
An Underdeveloped Aspect 2011 - Fukushima
“…demonstrated that providing effective communication is one of the biggest challenges in an emergency.”
IAEA, 2012
“Information about the accident was often late, insufficient and unclear.”
Report; JAIF, 2012
“Fukushima evacuees failed by information flow.”
Report; NAIIC, 2011
2011
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2014-06-26
An Underdeveloped Aspect In daily life
Medicine
Diagnosis and therapy
Industry
Energy production
Food irradiation, Sterilization, Carbon dating, Quality control, Silicon doping
Other applications: e.g. Airport control
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2014-06-26
Medicine
Diagnosis and therapy
Industry
Energy production
Food irradiation, Sterilization, Carbon dating, Quality control, Silicon doping Other applications: e.g. Airport control
ICRP pillars:
Decisions taken at different levels
are loaded with challenges of uncertainty,
and necessarily framed by value choices.
= Interaction with society
An Underdeveloped Aspect In daily life
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2014-06-26
Risk communication about ionizing radiation
Supports the stakeholders to make informed decisions and to establish two-way communication and joint problem solving.
It involves communities
It protects vulnerable groups
It serves the public interest (health)
Citizen-centred communication
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8. Copyright © SCK•CEN
2014-06-26
Risk communication about ionizing radiation
Supports the stakeholders to make informed decisions and to establish two-way communication and joint problem solving.
It involves communities
It protects vulnerable groups
It serves the public interest (health)
Citizen-centred communication
Challenging
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2014-06-26
Information processing is a complex mental process
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Perko T. et al,, Risk Analysis (2013) and
Journal of Risk Research (2014)
Challenge

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2014-06-26
Knowledge about ionizing radiation is rather low
“Exposure to radiation
will always lead to radioactive contamination.”
“Natural radioactivity is never dangerous
because we are used and adapted to it.”
“Vegetables grown near a nuclear power plant
cannot be safely consumed because of radioactivity.”
Source: Turcanu C., Perko T.(2013)
Challenge
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2014-06-26
Lack of mutual learning Knowledge Deficit Model
Researchers‟, industries, authorities views:
The general public should be „educated‟ by „explaining them the facts‟ and by assisting people to „better understand‟ nuclear technology.
“Let‟s educate emotional and radio-phobic people.”
Challenge
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Researchers‟, industries, authorities views:
The general public should be „educated‟ by „explaining them the facts‟ and by assisting people to „better understand‟ nuclear technology.
“Let‟s educate emotional and radio-phobic people.”
Citizens‟ views:
We miss the recognition by industry, research and authorities of being a competent stakeholder.
We miss empathy.
Challenge
Lack of mutual learning Knowledge Deficit Model Emotional Deficit Model
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2014-06-26
1969 …. (Starr, Slovic, Fischhoff, Sjöberg, Renn, …)
Challenge
Human behaviour
is primarily driven by perceptions and not by facts.
•Safety interventions (e.g. ALARA) need to consider also how risk is perceived.
•Experts and the public frequently disagree when it comes to radiological risk assessment.
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2014-06-26
Comparison of workers at nuclear installation
group that received doses < 0.5mSv/y vs.
group that received doses > 0.5mSv/y
Statistically significant differences
People taking more radiological risk
have lower risk perception of an accident in a nuclear installation and nuclear waste
are less concerned related to dangers from (BE) nuclear installations.
Challenge
Radiation perception
Different views among professionally exposed
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Source: Perko T., Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 2014

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2014-06-26
Risk perception Influenced by “soft” factors
Radiological risk perception among professionally exposed influenced* by:
I feel well protected against risks from nuclear installations –
There is sufficient control by authorities on the safety in nuclear installations. –
Number of years of experience in nuclear applications/radiation. –
How often are you in average professionally exposed to radiation? -
*Linear regression model with Factor for waste and accident; Principal Axis Factoring and Oblimin rotation; sig <0.03
Challenge
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Source: Perko T., (2014), Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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2014-06-26
Challenge
Mass media
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2014-06-26
Risk perception of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident
Higher satisfaction with the media coverage was associated with lower risk perception. (β = -0.120, p < 0.001)
Watching television was associated with a higher level of perceived risk.
(β = 0.064, p = 0.048)
Engaging in interpersonal communication was associated with a higher level of perceived risk. (β = 0.117, p < 0.001)
Those respondents who attended the news about Fukushima longer, had lower risk perception. (β = -0.076, p = 0.024)
Education: People with a higher level of education had lower risk perception. (β = -0.139, p < 0.001)
Source: B. Vyncke, Perko T, Van Gorp B. (2014)
Challenge
Risk perception and the media
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SCK•CEN
2014-06-26
Importance of media framing
Feeling of solidarity with the victims of a nuclear accident is
influenced by :
 the knowledge level.
 People with higher specific knowledge
have more solidary feelings than people
with less knowledge.
 The level of education.
 A higher level contributes to
increasing feelings of solidarity.
 the media framing.
Source: Thijssen P., Perko T.(2014)
Visit:
POSTER SESSION, Thursday
Challenge
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2014-06-26
Mass Media Reporting
Media content analysis (N=1340)
•Articles related to the Fukushima nuclear accident
•In Belgium, Italy, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Spain.
•Published between the 11th of March - 11th of May, 2011.
Challenge
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2014-06-26
What did we learn about media
Media are (more) interested to report about:
Risk related to the immediate consequences and not safety – long term processes (e.g. safety standards, remediation…)
Response than preparedness or recovery.
Visualised information (smoke, illustrations, graphics…)
Different views and not centralised information.
Stories linked to our collective memory.
Conflict e.g. related to nuclear energy or public communication.
Source: FP7 PREPARE project, Media content anlaysis D 6.4
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Radiological data in the media
•Only about one article in ten contained radiological units.
•Millisieverts were highly used in all countries, but this was often not connected to a time-scale.
•Different units were used including non-SI units (roentgen, rad etc.)
•Measurements related to contamination of food or goods, and not related to the human body, were barely used.
•Approximately one article out of five used comparisons to explain radioactivity.
•The most used comparison was comparison of radioactivity with legal norms.
Challenge
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2014-06-26
Visit: POSTER PRESENTATION, Thursday
+ Advice for your communication with mass media
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2014-06-26
Conclusions
Interactions with society and communication concerns us all!
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2014-06-26
Conclusions
Interactions with society and communication concerns us all!
Challenge
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2014-06-26
Conclusions
Interactions with society and communication concerns us all!
Challenge
Solution
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2014-06-26
Conclusions
Interactions with society and communication concerns us all!
Challenge
•Invest in the interaction and communication with society R&D
•Promote a trans-disciplinary approach in radiation protection: Natural science & Social science & Humanities.
Solution
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