To many developers of technologies that affect public health or the environment, "risk communication" means persuading the public that the potential risks of such technologies are small and should be ignored. βββββ βββ βββββββββββ βββββ ββ ββββ βββ ββββ ββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ βββ ββββββ ββββββ ββ βββββββββββββ βββββ βββ ββββ βββ ββββ βββββββ βββββββββ βββββ ββββββββ ββββββ ββββββββββ ββββββ βββββββ βββββββ ββββ ββββ βββββββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ βββββ βββββ ββββββ βββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ ββββββ ββ βββββ ββ βββββββ βββββββ ββββ ββββ βββββββββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββ βββ βββββ ββββββββββββββ ββ β βββββββββ βββ ββββββββββββ ββββ ββ ββββββββ
Intro topic Β·Risk communication
People who communicate risks to the public think lay people often ignore mundane dangers, but fear exotic dangers that are highly unlikely to materialize.
Lay people's assessment of risk Β·Generally accurate, when not considering ethical matters
Lay people provide reasonably accurate ranks of hazards by annual number of deaths. A study showed that they can understand specific risks of electromagnetic fields.
Example supporting author Β·Recent study showed effectiveness of risk-communication based on understanding the public
Brochure on risks of radon was developed based on interviews and questionnaires of the public. People who read this brochure understood the risks of radon better than people who had read a different brochure that didn't involve interviews or questionnaires of the public.
Passage Style
Critique or debate
Problem-analysis
2.
The authors of the passage βββββ ββ ββββ ββββββ ββ βββββ ββββ βββ βββββββ βββββββ ββ ββββ βββββββββββββ ββββββ ββ ββ
Question Type
Authorβs perspective
Implied
The authorβs attitude toward the purpose of risk communication is revealed most clearly at the top of P2.
a
explain rather than ββ ββββββββ
Strongly supported. In P1, the author explains that some people see the role of risk communication as just an attempt to persuade people not to worry about certain risks. She then clarifies in P2 that the purpose should instead be to properly explain risks to people.
b
promote rather than ββ βββββββ
Unsupported. The concepts of promoting and justifying donβt come up in the passage. Perhaps we could say that the author wants risk communication to βpromoteβ peopleβs ability to make informed decisions, but (A) captures that point better. And the author doesnβt argue against the idea of βjustifyingβ anything.
c
influence experts rather ββββ ββ βββββββββ βββ ββββββ
Unsupported. Lay people are the intended audience of risk communication. The author never suggests experts as an audience.
Misdirection. The risk communicators mentioned in P1 want to allay peopleβs fears about exotic hazards. The author argues against that view, but she doesnβt suggest that they should just allay peopleβs fears about mundane hazards instead. Sheβs against the whole idea that risk communication should be about allaying fears or persuading people. She thinks it should be about educating people instead.
Anti-supported. This says the purpose of risk communication should be to persuade people to accept new technologies, not to address peopleβs ethical concerns. But the author is against that view on both counts. She says at the top of P2 that instead of focusing on persuasion, risk communication should be about educating people. And she recommends in P3 that risk communicators need to recognize and understand peopleβs beliefs about ethical issues.
Difficulty
96% of people who answer get this correct
This is a slightly challenging question.
It is similar in difficulty to other questions in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%124
135
75%145
Analysis
Authorβs perspective
Implied
Critique or debate
Humanities
Problem-analysis
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
96%
168
b
1%
161
c
1%
154
d
1%
161
e
1%
160
Question history
You don't have any history with this question.. yet!
You've discovered a premium feature!
Subscribe to unlock everything that 7Sage has to offer.
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to get going. Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then you can continue!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you came here to read all the amazing posts from our 300,000+ members. They all have accounts too! Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then youβre free to discuss anything!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to give us feedback! Just create a free account belowβit only takes a minuteβand then youβre free to vote on this!
Subscribers can learn all the LSAT secrets.
Happens all the time: now that you've had a taste of the lessons, you just can't stop -- and you don't have to! Click the button.