Introduction to Risk Communication
Date: September 26, 2011
Deadline: September 19, 2011 for registration
Course Fee: $350
Instructor: William Hallman
Course Description
Risk Communication is the interactive exchange of information and opinions about hazards and risks, risk-related factors and risk perception. This one-day course presents the basic principles of risk communication. Although it is focused in food safety applications, other areas in public health and crisis management can benefit from the basic concepts presented in this course.
Registration
Prices & Schedule - 2010
| Course title | Dates | Instructor | Cost | Deadline |
| Introduction to Risk Communication | Sep. 15 | Hallman |
$350 | SEP 19 |
* Lunch and coffee are included in the course fee.
Overview of Topics
Establishing Your Goals
- The goals of risk communication
- Important assumptions
Knowing your Audience
- What Influences how people perceive risk
- How people take in and make use of risk information
- What people want to know in situations involving risks
- Why science commnunication alone doesn't resolve risk controversies
- Effectively segmenting your audience
The Messenger and Risk Communication
- The characteristics of effective risk communicators
- How non-verbal messages influence how people understand risk information
Message Development
- Listeningto your audiences
- Choosing the right messages
- Organizing your messages
- Getting your messages across
- Evaluating your efforts
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Distinguish among the common goals of risk communication, their respective assumptions, and why this matters.
- Understand the relationship between emotion and risk perception.
- Recognize the major contextual factors that influence perceived risk.
- Comprehend the importance of mental models in how people perceive and respond to risk.
- Recognize the limitations of the "Educational Deficit" model of risk communication.
- Understand the ways that people take in and communicate risk information.
- Appreciate the importance of “market segmentation” and of understanding the needs of your audiences.
- Understand the practical aspects of message design, timing and organization.
- Describe the characteristics of a good risk communicator.
- Recognize the importance of nonverbal communication.
