We are shaken almost weekly by reports of the threat of terrorism. But just how real is this threat, and how is it experienced by the general public? It is not unlikely that there is a gap between the threat of terrorism and people's perception of the risk. The Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Safety and Security started a new research project intended to show whether this is indeed the case and how communication strategies can bridge this gap. Researchers from Leiden, Rotterdam and Delft are pooling their expertise in this project.
Effective communication
Dr Gerdien de Vries of TU Delft: “One of the things our research might show is that people overestimate the risk of a terrorist attack and pressure the government to take far-reaching measures that may be exaggerated or unnecessarily expensive. We hope our research will give governments guidance on how to communicate effectively concerning the threat of terrorism in such a way that their message connects with people's perception of the threat”.
Read the full interview with Gerdien de Vries here.
Researchers involved are:
- Dr. Elena Kantorowicz-Reznichenko (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
- Dr. Gerdien de Vries (TU Delft)
- Dr. Jaroslaw Kantorowicz (Leiden University)