OPTIMISTIC BIAS IN CANCER RISK PERCEPTION - A CROSS-NATIONAL STUDY

Citation
Kr. Fontaine et S. Smith, OPTIMISTIC BIAS IN CANCER RISK PERCEPTION - A CROSS-NATIONAL STUDY, Psychological reports, 77(1), 1995, pp. 143-146
Citations number
13
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology
Journal title
ISSN journal
00332941
Volume
77
Issue
1
Year of publication
1995
Pages
143 - 146
Database
ISI
SICI code
0033-2941(1995)77:1<143:OBICRP>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
Results are presented from a pilot study in which risk perceptions for developing cancer in samples of American and British adults were comp ared. 61 American and 43 British people estimated the likelihood of ca ncer happening to themselves and the average person. As a group, parti cipants tended to judge their personal likelihood of developing cancer as less than the average, supporting the presence of an optimistic bi as. However, compared to the Americans, British respondents tended to perceive both themselves and the average person to be less likely to d evelop cancer. There were no gender differences or interactions betwee n the variables. Discussion centered on possible variations between th e two countries with respect to perceptions of control and responsibil ity for one's health status which may account for the findings.