An RSI Understanding Risk method
Community sentiment and attitudinal research
Community sentiment and attitudinal research is one of the methods used by Risk Sciences International to better understand risk.
Broadly
Community sentiment and attitudinal research explores how affected populations perceive risks, regulatory decisions, or institutional responses. It uses qualitative and quantitative tools—such as surveys, interviews, or social listening—to map values, emotions, and trust dynamics. This method is crucial for understanding the social license to operate and for anticipating reactions to new policies or risk events. Its complexity lies in achieving representative sampling and interpreting emotional responses in context.
More specifically
RSI uses attitudinal research to inform how technical risk assessments are likely to be received and acted upon. By pairing social science methods with structured stakeholder mapping, RSI helps clients integrate public values into policy planning and risk framing. This approach is especially useful in contentious or uncertain domains, where trust and perception may drive more outcomes than formal risk calculations. RSI’s ability to translate sentiment into actionable insight strengthens its Understanding Risk capacity.