Paul Slovic (psychometric paradigm)

Paul Slovic's psychometric paradigm explores how people perceive and evaluate risks, focusing on factors like how familiar, controllable, or dread-inducing a risk feels. It explains that our judgments aren't based solely on statistical data but also on emotional and subjective perceptions. For example, people might fear flying more than driving despite statistics showing cars are riskier, because flying feels less familiar and more out of control. Slovic’s work highlights that understanding these perceptions helps us better communicate risks and make more informed decisions.