Date: Thursday 11 November 2010
Time: 6pm
Venue: CLM.D202 (D202), 2nd floor, Clement House
Speaker: Dr Paul Slovic
Chair: Dr Adam Oliver

Modern theories in cognitive psychology and neuroscience indicate that there are two fundamental ways in which human beings comprehend risk. Analytic thinking uses algorithms and normative rules, such as the probability calculus, formal logic, and risk assessment. It is relatively slow, effortful, and requires conscious control. Experiential thinking is intuitive, fast, often automatic, and not very accessible to conscious awareness. Experiential thinking enabled human beings to survive during their long period of evolution and remains today the most natural and most common way to respond to risk. It relies on images and associations, linked by experience to emotion and affect (a feeling that something is good or bad). It represents risk as a feeling that tells us whether it's safe to walk down this dark street or drink this strange-smelling water. Research shows that such feelings are an important guide to behavior and, like visual perceptions they are typically fast, accurate, and rational. Yet, also like perceptions, our feelings systematically fail us in certain important situations. I shall describe the laboratory experiments that led to the concept of risk as feelings and illustrate some insights gleaned from this perspective for behaviors as diverse as cigarette smoking and apathy toward large scale natural and human caused disasters.

Dr. Slovic studies judgment and decision processes with an emphasis on decision making under conditions of risk. His work examines fundamental issues such as the influence of affect on judgments and decisions. He also studies the factors that underlie perceptions of risk and attempts to assess the importance of these perceptions for the management of risk in society. His most recent research examines psychological factors contributing to apathy toward genocide. He no longer does classroom teaching but does advise students in their research. For further information visit Dr. Slovic's website: www.decisionresearch.org

This event is free and open to all but registration in advance is required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. To register and for further information, please contact Dr Adam Oliver by email a.j.oliver@lse.ac.uk or phone 0207 955 6471.

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