Professor David Spiegelhalter: Communicating risk and uncertainty

Duration: 1 hour 6 mins 22 secs

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Professor David Spiegelhalter: Communicating risk and uncertainty's image

Description:	Professor David Spiegelhalter, Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge delivers a public lecture at Madingley Hall on 3 May 2011. The lecture is chaired by Professor John Rallison, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at Cambridge, and introduced by Dr Rebecca Lingwood, Director of Continuing Education. Please note that the lecture proper begins at the 4:00 minute point in the video.

Description:

Professor David Spiegelhalter, Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge delivers a public lecture at Madingley Hall on 3 May 2011.

The lecture is chaired by Professor John Rallison, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at Cambridge, and introduced by Dr Rebecca Lingwood, Director of Continuing Education.

Please note that the lecture proper begins at the 4:00 minute point in the video.

Created:

2011-06-16 08:59

Collection:

Madingley Lectures
Madingley Lectures

Publisher:

University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education

Professor David Spiegelhalter

Language:

eng (English)

Keywords:

David Spiegelhalter; Winton Professor; risk; uncertainty; communication;

Credits:

Actor:	Professor David Spiegelhalter
Author:	Professor David Spiegelhalter


Abstract:	Perception of risk can be influenced by the choice of words, numbers and pictures. Preferences and understanding varies among people, which suggests the use of multiple presentations including comparators and interactive animations. Communicating 'deeper' uncertainties, in the face of explicit and implicit ignorance, is more tricky. And it's important to bear in mind that people's reactions to risk narratives are likely to be dominated by their cultural world-view. This lecture looked at examples of communication of sensitive topics, from statins to swine flu, climate change to volcanic ash.

Abstract:

Perception of risk can be influenced by the choice of words, numbers and pictures. Preferences and understanding varies among people, which suggests the use of multiple presentations including comparators and interactive animations. Communicating 'deeper' uncertainties, in the face of explicit and implicit ignorance, is more tricky. And it's important to bear in mind that people's reactions to risk narratives are likely to be dominated by their cultural world-view. This lecture looked at examples of communication of sensitive topics, from statins to swine flu, climate change to volcanic ash.

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