Risk perception following exposure to a job-related electrocution accident: The mediating role of perceived control

Perceived control was proposed to be a significant mediator for the relation often observed between mental simulation (simulation heuristic) and perceived personal risk for future lethal events. Baron and Kenny's (1986) procedure for testing a mediational hypothesis was used to evaluate this hypothesis. Employees of a recreational facility where a lifeguard was accidently electrocuted and a matched control group (N = 32) estimated their perceived risk for future electrocution events, how much personal control they believed they had over preventing future events, and the degree of clarity for mentally simulating future events. Although perceived control was not found to be a significant mediator for the relation between mental simulation and perceived risk as hypothesized, both mental simulation and perceived control accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in perceived risk for future electrocution events. The trauma group reported significantly higher ratings for perceived risk and mental simulation of future events. However, the trauma group did not differ from the non-trauma group on perceived control over future events. Possible explanations for the relatively high degree of perceived control over future electrocution events within the trauma group, in spite of their experience with a near-fatal electrocution event, are discussed.