Suchergebnisse

Recounted is the development by major French firms & institutions of the AGORAMETRIE system, which analyzes & follows up public opinion about controversial matters in French society, drawing on annual comprehensive surveys of representative samples of the population. The theoretical basis of the system is presented, along with its application as a decoding tool to the analysis of specific social problems. Discussion includes: the modeling of public opinion through a constructivist approach; questionnaire design & interpretation of structural factors; evolution of public opinion, & effects of date, age, & generation; & application of the "grafting" procedure, illustrated by opinion about AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). 9 Tables, 8 Figures, 13 References. Adapted from the source document.

The authors present results of a February 1987 survey on judged frequency of mortality causes and risk perception of technologies in a representative sample of the French population. Although the French context is very different, and the impact of public controversies have been very limited on technological choices such as the nuclear energy program, strong similarities in risk perception of technologies are observed with results from U.S. surveys. Results, which could be worthwhile for other countries, suggest that risk perception is influenced by two different types of components. The first influence is the global feeling of "security" that society procures to its members. Such feeling depends on the individual's socioeconomic status, subjective state of health, and personal discomfort in daily life, and explains individual aversion to risk independently of the mortality causes or technologies involved. The second influence is the degree of perceived social legitimization of the activities involving risks. Risks of medical and transportation activities are strongly opposed to illegitimate risky behaviors (smoking, drugs, alcohol); technologies which have been an object of public debate (nuclear plants, the chemical industry, lead in gasoline) have an intermediate position reflecting the remaining uncertainties of public opinion about their risk–benefit balancing. Tentative conclusions for risk communication are proposed.