A Classification System for Competing Narratives in a Risk Context

Recent literature has examined the role of misinformation, biases, and other factors in contributing to the integrity of a risk study. These types of social and cognitive dynamics—referred to as narratives—comprise concern and value in a risk study. These narratives may appear to undermine aspects of objectivity in a scientific sense, but they may also shed light on aspects of a risk study that involve perceived scientific truths, related risk concerns, and values. The narratives can inform overall risk perception and the perception of quality for the risk study. As a result, understanding and classifying those narratives provides additional evidence that can potentially inform decisions for the design and implementation of a risk study. In this article, we develop a classification system that can be used to understand and address narratives that can influence a risk study and how various stakeholders perceive the risk study. This article will be of interest to risk analysts, policymakers, and risk communicators.