@article{ref1,
title="Explaining contradictory relations between risk perception and risk taking",
journal="Psychological science",
year="2008",
author="Mills, Britain A. and Reyna, Valerie F. and Estrada, Steven M.",
volume="19",
number="5",
pages="429-433",
abstract="Different studies have documented opposite relations between perceived risk and behavior. The present study tested a theoretical explanation that reconciles these conflicting results. Adolescents (N= 596) completed alternative measures of risk perception that differed in cue specificity and response format. As predicted by fuzzy-trace theory, measures that emphasized verbatim retrieval and quantitative processing produced positive correlations between perceived risk and risky behavior; risk perceptions reflected the extent to which adolescents engaged in risky behavior. In contrast, measures that assessed global, gist-based judgments of risk produced negative correlations; higher risk perceptions were associated with less risk taking, a protective rather than reflective relation. Endorsement of simple values and principles provided the greatest protection against risk taking. Results support a dual-processes interpretation of the relation between risk perception and risk taking according to which observed relations depend on whether the cues in questions trigger verbatim or gist processing.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0956-7976",
doi="10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02104.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02104.x"
}