Availability cascades and risk regulation

An availability cascade is a self-reinforcing process of collective belief formation by which an expressed perception triggers a chain reaction that g ives the perception increasing plausibility through its rising availability in public discourse. The driving mechanism involves a combination of infor mational and reputational motives. Individuals endorse the perception partl y by learning from the apparent beliefs of others and partly by distorting their public responses in the interest of maintaining social acceptance. Av ailability entrepreneurs-activists who manipulate the content of public dis course-strive to trigger availability cascades likely to advance their agen das. Their availability campaigns may yield social benefits, but sometimes they bring harm, which suggests a need for safeguards. Focusing on the role of mass pressures in the regulation of risks associated with production, c onsumption, and the environment, Professors Timur Kuran and Cass R. Sunstei n analyze availability cascades and suggest reforms to alleviate their pote ntial hazards. Their proposals include new governmental structures designed to give civil servants better insulation against mass demands for regulato ry change and an easily accessible scientific database to reduce people's d ependence on popular (mis)perceptions.