What does this research mean for the field?

Public trust in expert scientists is a consistent predictor and powerful explanatory factor of how individuals assess health risks associated with exposure to pollution-type environmental hazards. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine how public trust in expert scientists influences individual assessments and evaluations of health risks associated with pollution-type environmental hazards.

August 30, 2026Journal of Risk Research

Listening to the experts: How trust in scientists shapes environmental hazards health risk perceptions

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Authors

RDRotem DvirPublic Policy Institute of California XLXinsheng LiuFirst Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology

Discussion

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Implication

National survey reveals that trust in expert scientists predicts heightened perception of pollution health risks among US adults, highlighting the importance of expert credibility in public safety.

Key Points

To examine how public trust in expert scientists influences individual assessments and evaluations of health risks associated with pollution-type environmental hazards.
Analyzed data from a United States national survey focused on public perceptions of environmental health hazards.
Evaluated individual risk perceptions concerning air, water, and soil pollution, as well as chemical toxicant spills, in relation to trust in scientific experts.
Trust in scientists acted as a consistent predictor and powerful explanatory factor for public evaluations of health risks from environmental pollution.
High trust in experts significantly improved awareness and understanding of the health consequences linked to understudied, uncommon, and human-caused environmental hazards.

Cite This Study

Dvir et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f1176c1a8fb52e79db5b https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2026.2722625

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August 30, 2026Journal of Risk Research

Listening to the experts: How trust in scientists shapes environmental hazards health risk perceptions

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

RDRotem DvirPublic Policy Institute of California XLXinsheng LiuFirst Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

National survey reveals that trust in expert scientists predicts heightened perception of pollution health risks among US adults, highlighting the importance of expert credibility in public safety.

Key Points

To examine how public trust in expert scientists influences individual assessments and evaluations of health risks associated with pollution-type environmental hazards.
Analyzed data from a United States national survey focused on public perceptions of environmental health hazards.
Evaluated individual risk perceptions concerning air, water, and soil pollution, as well as chemical toxicant spills, in relation to trust in scientific experts.
Trust in scientists acted as a consistent predictor and powerful explanatory factor for public evaluations of health risks from environmental pollution.
High trust in experts significantly improved awareness and understanding of the health consequences linked to understudied, uncommon, and human-caused environmental hazards.

Cite This Study

Dvir et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f1176c1a8fb52e79db5b https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2026.2722625

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