“How Exposed Is Exposed Enough?” Lay Inferences About Chemical Exposure

Abstract

The concept of exposure is central to chemical risk assessment and plays an important role in communicating to the public about the potential healthrisks of chemicals. Research on chemical risk perception has found some indication that the model lay people use to judge chemical exposure differs from that of toxicologists, thereby leading to different conclusions aboutchemical safety. This paper presents the results of a series of studies directed toward developing a model for understanding how lay people interpret the concept of chemical exposure. The results indicate that people'sbeliefs about chemical exposure (and its risks) are based on two broad categories of inferences. One category of inferences relates to the nature inwhich contact with a chemical has taken place, including the amount of a chemical involved and its potential health consequences. A second category ofinferences about chemical exposure relates to the pragmatics of languageinterpretation, leading to beliefs about the motives and purposes behind chemical risk communication. Risk communicators are encouraged to consider how alternative models of exposure and language interpretation can leadto conflicting conclusions on the part of the public about chemical safety.