Effect of distance upon risk perception

148 Ss were asked to rate the hazard they perceived to be associated with living near 7 different types of public facilities (i.e., nuclear reactor, oil refinery, airport, gas works, prison, district heating facility, and mental hospital). Two respondent groups lived .5 km and 1.4 km from a nuclear research reactor, 2 groups lived at similar distances from a district heating facility, and the control group lived about 10 km from both facilities. Statistically significant differences were found with respect to the item "nuclear reactor," with the group living 1.4 km from the reactor perceiving it to be riskier than the nearer group and the controls, suggesting that frequent contact with potentially threatening objects reduces the perceived hazard.