大象传媒

In the current climate, risk assessment is something we’re all having to grapple with every day.

But for some – like the mountain climbers, skydivers and gamblers amongst us – risk is something to actively seek out in everyday life. What makes some of us more gung-ho than others? Why do we perceive some risky things as safe, but other statistically safe activities as risky? And can taking risks ever be a good thing?

When Kable and his team examined the brains of the people that took the most risks, there were actual structural differences. They saw more grey matter in an area called the amygdala, that has long been linked to the emotion of fear. They also saw there was greater functional co-operation between the amygdala and another area of the brain called the medial prefrontal cortex, which is involved in emotion regulation and decision making. The study seemed to show that this system – between the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex – is key in setting the degree of risk tolerance that an individual has.

Other scientists have discovered that a single gene – part of the dopamine system in the brain that mitigates rewards such as the feeling of pleasure – might be responsible for risk-taking behaviour. For the “sensation seekers” amongst us – people who are especially venturesome, inquisitive and eager to have new and exciting experiences, even if they contain a degree of social or physical risk – this gene might be overactive.

Not only do these initial findings point to explanations for extreme behaviour such as drug addiction or sexual promiscuity, it also goes a way to explain much more normal risk-taking behaviour that exists in all of us to a greater or lesser extent. Taking risks makes us feel good.

Often though, it’s more complicated than just being a risk-taker or a risk-avoider. Many of us will be happy to take certain risks, but not others. Someone who is scared to bet big on the horses, walk down an alleyway in the dark, or tell a controversial joke, might not think twice about bungee-jumping or skateboarding off a half-pipe. Why do so many of us fail to grasp the risk posed by climate change, which will inevitably harm us and future generations, but feel terrified about flying – which is statistically so safe?

In A Point of View, writer A.L. Kennedy states her belief that its often emotion that gets in the way of our ability to assess risks. “We prioritise them according to emotion and information,” she says, “but our emotions cloud our judgement and our information may be patchy, absent or misleading.” For those who have been through a difficult relationship, starting up a new one may seem like a risk. Whereas for others it offers excitement, possibility, and much less “risk” than remaining single and lonely.

We can end up ignoring some risks and overreacting to others. Familiar risks, like driving at speed down a motorway, can get minimised – even though they’re familiar because they’re often around. We may not bother to prepare for risks that are inevitable, but seem distant – like climate change – because it’s easy to presume that someone other than ourselves will deal with it.

One thing the current crisis has proved is that we can make massive, rapid changes in the way we work and live. “We have a chance, when this horrible storm has passed, to change some of our behaviour forever,” says Kennedy. So, we can choose to obsess about buying our children the “safest” car seat, or we can decide to focus on making sure they have stable food supplies in the future and survivable temperatures.