Re: [RNPROF] Psychology of Radon

From Name

John Mallon

From Address

john@RADONDETECTIONANDCONTROL.COM

Al,
Your
perspective on this as a newcomer to the issue is refreshing.  The psychology of radon awareness is
probably best understood by those of us that provide radon services to the
public.  The demand for these
services is our sole source of income. 
Our businesses thrive or fold because of public perception.  We could fill volumes on radon
awareness.
I worked for
years for a company providing consulting services to the commercial nuclear
power industry.  One assignment took
me into the reactor containment at St. Lucie Nuclear Power Station during an
outage to do damage surveys with some Florida Power & Light Engineers.  The task was on the overhead crane
structure about 40 feet above the fuel pool.    Areas of the containment were taped
off and HP Techs were all over keeping us away from very dangerous radiation
areas.  It was intimidating to enter
the area dressed in yellow PCs , gloves, boot covers and hoods and knowing that
we were to be exposed to radiation. 
We of course wore dosimeters to monitor our exposure.
 The area was strangely lit and was a
weird   environment draped in yellow and purple
tape and warning signs. During our walk and climb to the survey area, I was
suddenly struck by the realization that it felt no different than being in my
living room.  I knew rationally that
there would be no sensation but with all the visual warnings and clothing
intuitively you expect to be hot or feel a static charge or something.  But the longer you are there the more
complacent you become.  The
inability to perceive the radiation makes you unconcerned about the potential
danger regardless of what your mind knows and the signs say. 
Translate
this into a homeowner.   Home
from the workday, they sit on the couch in the game room warm and comfortable
with the spouse and kids. It is the safest most comforting environment that life
offers.  They have heard a bit about
radon, but it doesn't register that it could be in their home.   We continually have home sellers
say they were shocked to find they had radon.
 I agree with you What might be needed is
to take off the gloves and start scaring the bejesus out of consumers with the
facts.  CANSAR is an excellent start. 
We Radon
Stakeholders have been a timid bunch. 
We have debated the minutia for years while public apathy grew.   The  apathy and years have  dampened our outrage and strained our
dedication.  The wonderful people of
CANSAR are a tiny representation of the undeserving victims of this preventable
radiation.  They should not be
subjected to this horrible disease because public awareness campaigns are too
infrequent and too vague.
The question
is:  How do you foster awareness and
fuel outrage with minuscule funds and overwhelming apathy?
John
Mallon
----- Original Message -----
From:
Al Gerhart
To: RADONPROFESSIONALS@LIST.UIOWA.EDU
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 7:40
PM
Subject: Re: [RNPROF] Psychology of
Radon
One of the problems is self imposed and represented in the name of
this List Server, "Professionals".   Not saying things can be
done otherwise, but a good analogy is watching the granite controversy
play out.  The research side is restrained, professional,
understating the information with lots of conditional
statements.   The stone industry is unrestrained, 
doesn't use peer reviewed info from independent scientists, and says
just about anything that they wish.  Their bold statements are
taken by the public as proof of their truth, the conditional statements
are taken as proof that our side isn't really sure.   With a
little education, consumers would know otherwise.
 
Basically the same has occurred, in my opinion, with soil based
Radon.  I've seen a few debates on line, Hormesis is usually
dragged out, attacks on LNT theory, claims that Radon can't be tracked
back to cancer cases.   The opponents have few arguments that
stand up , but boy do they shout loud.
 
What Radon might need is a separate group, AKA James Carville, pit
bulls instead of reasoned researchers.   Somebody needs to
shake things up.
 
Another point is the unwillingness use the average consumer's fear
of radiation.   It is a visceral fear, which is why I think
many are unwilling to invoke it.   Me, I've developed a
healthy respect for Radon, when I open the hatch of our Radon room, I
wear a HEPA half face mask and open an overhead door.   What
might be needed is to take off the gloves and start scaring the bejesus
out of consumers with the facts.  CANSAR is an excellent 
start.
 
The best advice I ever received was to decide what you really want,
then pay the price and take  it. 
 
Just a view from outside the industry.   I could be
wrong.
 
Al
--- On Mon, 1/26/09, Phillip H. Jenkins
wrote:
From:
Phillip H. Jenkins Subject: Re:
[RNPROF] Psychology of RadonTo:
RADONPROFESSIONALS@LIST.UIOWA.EDUDate: Monday, January 26, 2009,
11:39 AM
#yiv1554976254 {
FONT: 10pt Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif
}
I was struck by the attention that the salmonella outbreak in
peanut butter is getting, and certainly the illness and deaths that
have been caused are a tragedy....but how does that compare with the
illness and deaths caused by exposure to radon?  But.......you
can't identify the specific people suffering from the effects of
radon, the effect is not immediate, there is no one to point your
finger at and sue.....etc., etc.  Psychology is not my
thing.
PhilPhillip H. Jenkins, PhD, CHPSenior Health
PhysicistBowser-Morner, Inc.Mail: P.O. Box 51 - Dayton, OH
45401Delivery: 4514 Taylorsville Road - Dayton, OH 45424Voice:
(937) 236-8805 x248Fax: (937) 233-2024E-mail:
pjenkins@bowser-morner.comWeb: www.bowser-morner.com
From: Jeff Miner [mailto:jeffminer@ETAHOE.COM]To:
RADONPROFESSIONALS@LIST.UIOWA.EDUSent: Mon, 26 Jan 2009
12:33:11 -0500Subject: Re: [RNPROF] Psychology of
RadonRay,Thanks for the links to your work and the
PowerPoint by William Field. I was able to get to them by
copying the full address, as Martin Smith suggested. There has
obviously been some serious study on the psychology of radon and
why the public and the news tend to ignore it. What we need now
is to apply what we already know. Designing promotional
campaigns with the public's lack of OUTRAGE as the main point,
or using their apathy as the catch phrase. "Sell the sizzle, not
the steak!" This is the realm of promotion, advertising, public
opinion and trend setting, not an area for scientists and
technologists. We may need engineers to design cars, but we need
marketing types to sell them. Lets give our problem to the best
Madison Avenue advertising firms and see what they can do with
it. Money is no problem. They will probably want to donate their
time for a good cause, if we pitch it right and make it an
"impossible" problem that they just can't wait to solve. I'm
serious. I know it sounds naive, and yes it may be, but let's
see what we can get done for free by the brightest minds in the
advertising business. They are loosing cash customers right now
with the economy in the tank and they may just have some bright
young advertising execs with time on their hands. I'll put some
time into it if anyone has some ideas or leads. Maybe we can get
some of President Obama's $850 billion economic stimulus package
funds to run the ads on TV. Let's make some waves!Jeff
MinerRadon At TahoeRay Johnson, PE, CHP wrote:>
Jeff:>> I have also struggled with issues on radiation
risk perceptions for about 30> years, both among lay persons
and radiation professionals. For example,> while I served as
President of the Radon Section of the Health Physics>
Society, I was surrounded with health physicists who did not believe
radon> was a real risk. >> I have published
several papers on these matters in AARST proceedings as>
follows:>> http://www.aarst.org/proceedings/1995/1995_07_Why_Scientists_and_the_Public_>
Do_Not_Believe_in_Rado.pdf>> http://www.aarst.org/proceedings/1994/1994_34_Marketing_Panel--Credibility_W>
ith_Radon_Customers.pdf>> http://www.aarst.org/proceedings/1993/1993_01_Source_of_Radon_Risk_Perceptio>
ns_For_Radon_Professio.pdf>> http://www.aarst.org/proceedings/1991/1991_03_Motivating_Homeowners_to_Test_>
and_Mitigate_For_Radon.pdf>> > http://www.aarst.org/proceedings/1996/1996_33_Radon_Risk_Communication_With_>
Attorneys_and_Jurors.pdf>> Perhaps some of these
articles may be of interest. Many of my insights on> risk
perception issues come from several years of training which I
pursued> in the mid-1970s to qualify for practicing
psychological counseling. As a> CHP I keep getting pulled
into technical radiation issues, therefore, I have> never
gone into counseling as a full time service, but have practiced
over> the years as a volunteer in my church. For example, I
have been a> commissioned Stephen Minister since 2003, where
my role is care provider and> counselor. >> I
am also now writing a book chapter on "NORM Communication Issues - A
case> Study" for a book on NORM to be the textbook for a
Health Physics Society> Professional Development School in
July 2009>> In addition I am the Academic Dean and
will be compiling a book for a Health> Physics Society
Professional Development School in 2010, on Radiation Risk>
Communication - Issues and Solutions. This book will be about
400-500 pages> with 15 authors including myself.
>> Best wishes. >> Warmest
regards,>> Ray Johnson, MS, PE, FHPS, CHP >
Vice President, Training Programs> Dade Moeller &
Associates> Radiation Safety Academy Division> 438 N.
Frederick Avenue, Suite 220> Gaithersburg, Maryland
20877>> Ray.Johnson@Moellerinc.com>
phone: 301-990-6006> toll free: 800-871-7930> fax:
301-990-9878> http://www.RadiationSafetyAcademy.com >
-----Original Message-----> From: International Web Resource
for Radon Professionals> [mailto:RADONPROFESSIONALS@LIST.UIOWA.EDU] On Behalf Of
Jeff Miner> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 5:56 PM>
To: RADONPROFESSIONALS@LIST.UIOWA.EDU> Subject:
[RNPROF] Psychology of Radon>> Note: I left this
comment in the General Radon forum on the> radonleaders.org
web site, but I know some list serv members use email for>
information exchange so I am listing it here also.> Jeff
Miner>> The Psychology of Radon.>> Have
we learned anything in the last 30 years about why most people
would> rather avoid radon than deal with it? I did some
research and found two> Rutgers University professors
(emeritus) who have spent their careers> studying why people
sometimes react to high risk situations with apathy and> to
low risk situations with outrage. Radon is a good example of a high
risk> issue with a low outrage response.>>
Peter Sandman and Neil D. Weinstein have developed the theory that
RISK => HAZARD + OUTRAGE. They have studied radon testing and
mitigation and> classify it as a HIGH HAZARD with LOW OUTRAGE
issue.>> Peter Sandman's paper on radon: http://www.psandman.com/index-PA.htm#rad>
Paper on risk: http://www.psandman.com/index-PA.htm>>
It may be time to re-examine these 20 year old studies, as we try
to> understand why our current promotional efforts have not
had the overwhelming> success we so desire in alerting the
public to radon awareness and action. I> think there could be
more participation from psychologists and behavioral>
scientists in designing radon promotional campaigns. We could invite
these> gentlemen to speak on radon risk communication at our
Radon Symposium in> September (they charge), or at the very
least hold a round table discussion> on radon risk
communication (no, I'm am not volunteering to lead
it).>> The next great challenge for the radon
community may not be how to design a> better radon fan, or
even medical advances in the study of lung cancer, but>
rather how to cause an apathetic public (and our public>
officials) to be "outraged" by the unacceptable risks of radon
exposure. > Psychology is the key to that
goal.>> Jeff Miner> Radon At Tahoe> http://www.RadonAtTahoe.com>> RN PROF
(subscription changes) -> http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/radonprofessionals.html
RN> LEADERS - http://www.radonleaders.org/>>>>>
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