Perception involuntary

Perception of personal benefit contributes to the pursuit of many highly risky lifestyle choices, and makes risk-management for public health authorities a difficult undertaking. Perception of the absence of personal benefit contributes to the strange resistance of individuals to the relatively small risks associated with involuntary exposure, and this makes risk management difficult for regulatory officials. 

After an initial reaction of "tightness," not unlike the involuntary muscle contraction one experiences on plunging into cold water, I became aware of how acute my perception was. In fact, it appeared that I was freed completely from a partial deafness of my left ear as well as from my acute astigmatism. Briefly, the perceptual highlights of my first LSD experience were ... 

However, these drugs are now more commonly— and more accurately—called neuroleptics or antipsy-chotics. As opposed to medications prescribed for sedation, the neuroleptics often produce signs of neurological dysfunction, such as extrapyrimidal effects (involuntary movements such as Parkinson-like tremors and other abnormal movements). The term antipsy-chotics is sometimes used because these drugs are generally used to treat symptoms of paranoia, psychosis, or serious distortions in the perception of reality, such as hallucinations or delusions. The neuroleptics are not typically drugs of abuse. 

Fear of hospitalization and involuntary commitment is often the reason given for avoiding treatment (Sussman et al. 1987). Unfortunately, there is some truth in that belief. African Americans are more likely to be hospitalized or involuntarily committed (Flaherty and Meagher 1980 Lawson et al. 1994 Lindsey et al. 1989 Paul and Menditto 1992 Strakowski et al. 1995). Consequently, African Americans have a different perception of the mental health system, often not seeing it as a resource for consensual treatment. 

A significant aspect of the responses to chemical events concerns when and how the event is communicated to local officials and the local public. While much of the focus of post-event response is necessarily on the requirements of the formal regulatory process, interactions with the affected local officials and public have important implications as well. From the perspectives of the public and their officials, chemical events are largely involuntary risks that are potentially catastrophic and of technological origin. These characteristics render chemical events and incidents subject to substantial social amplification in which the characteristics of the events interact with individuals perceptions of the risk associated with them and the pattern of communication with the public and their response to both the event and the communication (Kasperson, 1992 Kasperson et al., 1988). 

Perceptions of risk viewed as voluntary versus involuntary... 

In considering the understandings of risk held by BR staff it is important to appreciate that the research concentrated on involuntary risks respondents were exposed to through work. It also focused on considering crude understandings rather than precise technical calculations, so deals with uncertainty rather than risk. Moreover, the intention of the research was not to be prescriptive but rather to relate what it was like for them . The objective was to find out how company staff perceived the dangers associated with their work. What were their levels of awareness and how did they respond As Nelkin and Brown cautioned in 1984 (p. ix), the perceptions and concerns of workers is a neglected... 

Persons who have physical or mental impairments that substantially limit a major life activity only because of a perception that the impairment causes such a limitation. (For example, an employee has a condition that periodically causes an involuntary jerk of the head, but no limitations on his major life activities. If his employer discriminates against him because of the negative reaction of customers, the employer would be regarding him as disabled and acting on the basis of that perceived disability.) ... 

Much research has been conducted in trying to nnderstand people s concept of risk. What makes one individual (or country) take more risks Why do people feel that the risk of dying in a car crash is lower than the risk of flying in a commercial jetliner Slovic et al. (1979) have defined a nnmber of factors that affect the way people perceive a risk. These factors have already become standard bearers for risk perception. Not everyone may agree with the risk perception factors. For some, involuntary risks are not important for others, they may carry much weight. 

Perception of risk is certainly influenced by the circumstances. A far higher risk is tolerated from voluntary activities than from involuntary ones (people feel that they are more in... 

These differing perceptions impact what risk management decisions are acceptable in different situations. The perceptions relate to psychological factors such as fear, dread, uncontrollability, and voluntary versus involuntary risks, as well as familiarity with the hazard. Figure 9.1 illustrates the relationship of these factors for various hazards. Hazards in the upper right quadrant of the space are those that are perceived as both relatively unknown and uncontrollable, and include asbestos, mercury, pesticides, and radioactive waste. The hazards in this quadrant are most likely to be considered most dreadful, and are most likely to lead to government regulation based on public concern. 

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