Changes of public risk perception in China: 2008–2018

This paper characterizes the risk acceptance of the Chinese public based on a psychometric paradigm and documents its change by conducting a nationally representative longitudinal survey spanning 10 years. We explore key factors that influence the acceptance of seven typical risks: drinking water pollution, interior decoration, electromagnetic radiation, air pollution, chemical plants, public transportation, and natural hazards, reflecting the general and referential changes in risk perception. The results show a general decrease in the acceptance of all of these risks in the examined decade, especially in economically developed areas. Different types of risk perception varied, but environmental risks had similar trends of perception. The perceived benefits from these risks and local GDP had the greatest impact on risk acceptance. The interaction between the changing perspectives of the emerging middle class and the evolving hazard risk landscape may be the reasons for the reduction in risk acceptance. The main findings offer insights for effective risk education and communication as well as sustainable risk management strategy.