Culture Theory

May 2008Chapter 2

Culture Theory (CT)Chapter 2

• Impact on Safety

• Risk View

• Interaction with other Groups

• World View

Cultural Theory

• Mary Douglas

• Anthropologist

• Observation of Societies– Threats– Social Structures– Ways of Life– Attitudes

Culture

• Studied Life and Cultural Biases– Functional Explanation– Social Biases– Argued two principle axes:

• Grid and Group

Risk by Culture:

Corporate Views

Views

Cultural Theory

• Group: Degree of division between insiders and outsiders

• Grid: (Regulation) Rules that relate one individual to another

Group

Regulation

Examples

• Strong Grid /Strong Group (High)– Individuals Regulated for the sake of the

group.

– Heirarchist

Views of Nature

• Fragile

• Robust

• Capricious (Erratic, impulsive, unpredictable)

Strong Grid, Strong Group

• Roles are subscribed – gender and birth

• Positional Rules

• Groups are within larger groups

Bernstein: Two family Examples:Modern JapaneseBritish Middle-class Family

Hierarchist• Social Sectors: Classes, castes, age groups• Specialized Roles• Larger and lasts longer• Less internal conflict• Well defined rules• Experts• Reliance on rules

Tolerant within limits

Regulation

Group

Individuals

• Group (Low) Grid/Regulation (Low)– Individuals than group– Lack of group mentality– Social classes negotiable– Transaction and transfer freely– Political laws to regulate individuals– Trial and error

Egalitarian• High Group, Low Grid

• Strong bond

• Voluntary Associations

• Good of Group before individual

• Sensitive to high consequence risk

• Nature Fragile

• Small change will bring crashing down

Isolationist (fatalist)

• High Reg, Low group

• Feel isolated

• Nature as random

• Little they can do

• No respect for other groups

Random!

Hermit (Autonomous)

• Medium/Medium

• Withdraws from social interaction

• Autonomous

• Often ignored

Nature Views

Tolerant within limitsRandom!

FragileStable

Risk

• Different Levels of Risk Views– Risk Adverse– Risk Procedures (Regulation)– Risk Takers– Risk Acceptors

Risk• Culture Theory can be used to predict risk

responses

– Risk Issues– Grid Coordinates

Risk

Risk Adverse

Risk Acceptances

Risk T

aker

Risk Proce

dures

Nature

Nature Fragile

Nature Capricious

Robust

View points

Share Adverse

Fatalist

Reg

ulat

ion

GroupLow

Low

High

High

Hier.

Egal.

ISO.

Indiv.

HermitNature

High bondRisk adverse

Risk Takers

Accept authority

Weak leadership

Robust

NatureFragile

Fatalist

No respect

Glorify risk/acceptance

Reject hier. knowledge

No respect fo

r other g

roups

Deride safety cultu

re

Trend setters

Nature Robust

Nature capricious

Risk Adversion

Risk

Competition

Grid

• Coarse Grained

• Static

• Rests on hidden assumptions

• No Accounting for change

GRID EXERCISE

Mountain Utilities wants to construct a 300 Megawatt Reactor in GentleValley to supply the electrical needs of the community. This community of people has Grown to over 400,000 strong. Up to this point, the community has relied on other Power generating systems for their needs. If this was a hierarchal community, what would you expect would be their expectations? Concerns? Worries?

GRID EXERCISE #2

The thriving metropolis of Getter Done is made up mostly of EngineersAnd PhDs. They have worked together for near 20 years in all kinds of Endeavors. An overseas company in conjunction with the NASA want to Establish a new antimatter storage and transfer system to support a new space Craft. The facility will store 100 cubic meters (100 m3) of antimatter in pods Constructed of polyduranium. The leak rate of the tank is expected To be only <0.0002 kg/day.

How will the community respond?

Cultural Theory Grid

• Uses:– Predict Risk Behavior?– Individual Behavior?– How they are in cultural roles

Our Organizations

• Location on the Grid

• Definitions – what does that mean?

• Discussion.

Other Characteristics

• Individual Characteristics– Gender– Race– Political Ideology– Personality Type

Biases

• Superiority of any Group?

• Limitations of the Groups

• Accuracy of the Group

• Each as a one view?

One View

Military

IndiaJapan

HH

Sect Leaders

CommunalU.S?

Servants

Example:

Canadian Website

• Safety Management Systems– Models– Related to Grid?– View on Risk?

Risk Models

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

NuclearEnergyMarine

Transport

DNA ResearchTolerate

& Improve

Dams

Mining

ComplexityC

oupl

ing

1 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 Space

Flying

AbandonRestrict

Zero Risk Model

Nanotechnology

• Carcinogenic Effects• Long Term effects – Unknown• Quantum Dots• Single-wall Nanotubes • MSDSs

– Focus on materials not product

From EPA White Paper on Nanotechnology

Safety & Health Aspects of Nanotechnology

Safety & Health Aspects of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology 2nd Generation

ESH Coverage

2001 2003 2006

3rd Gen 4th Gen

2015

Where are We?

Safety Culture Theories

ISO 9001

Risk Matrix

Basic Hazard Management

Relationships• Related to Grid

• Accountability: High /High

• Training: High

• Threat - View of nature and risk

Bow-Tie

System Risk

Thompson & Wildavsky Grid

Culture and Socialization

Risk Management Policy

Risk…

Cyclone at Myanmar•100,000 Dead

Risk…

Chilean Volcano

Application of CT

What is the response of each Culture?

Application of CT

Application of CT

Application of CT

Understanding CT

• Management Policy

• Signage

• Training

• Communication

Application

Class Exercise, Grid

• Where is your organization?

Break!

Social Amplification of Risk

Amplification

• Risk– Actual Risk– Perceived Risk– Residual Risk– Risk Abatement

Amplification

Risk Analysis

• Risk Linear?

Social Amplification of Risk

• Transfer of Information

• Social Response Mechanism

SARF

• Risk – Benefit Analysis

Bell-Wether Events

• Three Mile Island– Changed attitudes– Stricter Regulation– Public opposition (any technology)

Effects…

• Move away (Globally) from Nuclear Power

• Increased public concern on complex systems.

• Public opposition to Nuclear power

Amplification Results in:

• Economic - Move away from nuc power.

• Judicial (New laws, regulations)

• Social - Anti-nuclear groups

Other Events?

bhopal

Piper Alpha

Columbia

Other Effects:

• Attenuation of Risk– Radon– Smoking– Carcinogens

Social Amplification of Risk

• Media?

• News/Books?

• Special Interest Groups?

SARF

Elements?

Chapter 2, section 2.3.2

Event

Risk

Filter 1

Increased Increased

Filter 2

DecreaseDecrease

SARF

Risk Risk

Event

Risk

Filter 1Politics

Increased Increased

Filter 2Media

Communication

SARF

• Transfer of information about Risk

• Social Response mechanism

COMMUNICATION!

SARF

• Ripple Effect– True Risk?– Media– Politics

Four Risk Pathways

• Heuristics and Values - Simplify

• Group Relationships – influence responses

• Signal value – recognize high value

• Stigmatization – Create aversion

CT and Risk

InterpretFormulateValidate

Risk

High Signal Values

• Outcome of the risk activity/operation• Public Reaction – a measure of signal

Signals

• Radiation

• Cancer

• Fire

Debates

• Provides information

• Can cause Public Concern!

Seven Categories

• Biocidal hazards

• Persistent delay hazards

• Rare Catastrophes

• Life-threatening Common

• Global Diffuse

• Rad hazards

Basic Risk Perception Model

• BRPM, 2001

• Focuses on psychometric dimensions– Attitude, fear, worry, risk sensitivity, trust– Lifestyles, and world views.

Illustrative Interventions

• Motorists and seat-belts– Likelihood of accidents– Consequence: killed or injured in crash

Risk Takers

• Individual Differences

• Thrill seekers

• Sensation Seeking– (age, gender)

Political Approach to Risk

• Social Life

• Conflicting Goals

• Values,

• Chronic fear

Politics

• Policy: risks…

Risk Resolution

• Risk Resolution versus Risk Management

• Regulation

• Restriction

• Control

• Government Program

Regulation

European Commission Questionnaire on Directive 96/82/EC on the Control of Major Accident Hazards involving dangerous substances (SEVESO II) 2000 – 2002: United Kingdom Response

View of Risk

• Risk Management is about

• Power

• Conflicts of interest

• Political Influence

• Page 49, Text

Social-Emotional Risk

• Risk = hazard + outrage

– Cognitive side of Fear!

Risk and Technology

• Modern Technology - Ritual Sacrifice

Three Acts

• 1. Sudden – Bhopal

• 2. Science response – Thalidomide

• 3. Political – Ozone depletion, global warming

Adaptation and Risk Management

• Cost-Benefit analysis

• Behavior Adaption approach

• Risk Management Approach

Rewarding/Incentives

• Management Vigor – Continuous reminders

• Reward the bottom line.

• Reward attractiveness

• Progress safety credits

• List on Page 56