Using an experimental manipulation embedded in a national survey, this study investigated the effect on smokers' risk judgments of receiving accurate information about the cigarette consumption of the average smoker. It was hypothesized that this information would reduce smokers' estimates of the risk of lung cancer faced by the average smoker (‘other's risk’) and hence influence their comparative risk judgments. As predicted, the information made lighter smokers more optimistic and heavier smokers less optimistic. However, the experimental manipulation had no effect on intention to give up smoking. The difference score (other's risk minus own risk) correlated 0.52 with the single-item comparative risk measure. The former measure showed a small but significant optimistic bias whereas the latter measure showed a small but significant pessimistic bias. The findings are discussed in terms of measurement issues and the implications for interventions designed to influence risk perceptions.

This study investigates the relationship between expressed consumption of proteins and attitudes towards GM foods. 600 shoppers in a city centre supermarket were surveyed concerning attitudes towards GM foods and the frequency of consumption of various proteins. In addition, various demographic variables were measured. In terms of demographics, sex was the best predictor of consumption and attitudes, followed by socioeconomic status and age. Attitudes were found to correlate positively with consumption of several proteins. Explanations are offered in terms of the theories of reasoned action, cognitive dissonance and attribution and the health belief model.

The current study examined the hypothesis that adolescents' absolute and comparative perceptions of vulnerability to potential negative consequences of substance use mediate the relation between traditional predictors of use, and actual substance use. The data support the hypothesis in that absolute risk perceptions mediate the relations between parental communication about substances, peer substance use and risk-taking tendency, and subsequent adolescent use. Comparative risk perceptions, however, are only weakly related to these three predictors, and do not predict subsequent use. The data also replicate earlier findings that behavioral willingness mediates the relation between risk perceptions and behavior. Methodological and applied implications are discussed.

This study explored whether comparisons of one's perceived absolute risk of being overweight to that of other people are predictive of concern about one's risk and intentions to reduce it. One hundred and six North American college students rated their absolute risk, concern, and intentions, and compared their risk with that of several comparison referents including average targets (e.g., ‘the average same-sex student in the US’), single targets (e.g., ‘best friend’), temporal targets (e.g., ‘yourself a few years ago’), and exemplar targets (e.g., ‘prototypical person with weight problem’). Participants showed high concern and intentions when comparing unfavorably with many of the average targets, even when controlling for absolute risk. Comparisons with single targets were generally related to concern, though not to intentions. Temporal and exemplar comparisons were unrelated to concern and intentions. Comparative risk (particularly with average targets) may elicit worry about one's risk and encourage protective measures, irrespective of one's absolute risk.

In a nationwide study, we explored how Israelis, currently stricken by an intense wave of terrorism, perceive the risk of being the victim of a terrorist attack. We studied both absolute and comparative (i.e., vis-a-vis other people at the area of residence) perceived controllability and vulnerability. The picture that emerges is one of realism. We found no evidence of the comparative optimistic illusions, which characterizes the risk-perception literature. Most participants report some level of behavior change and precautions against the threat of terrorism, but most of them were doubtful about the effectiveness of these precautionary attempts. Perceived absolute vulnerability was the only risk perception variable related to precautionary behaviors. We discuss the disappearance of comparative optimistic biases when the threat is clearly realistic.