Risk perception and personality: a study in the transportation sector

Socio-demographics, work, and emotional factors, together with experience of specific hazards, seem to play a joint role in the process of risk perception. Objective. The present study of 96 transport sector workers was carried out with the aim of verifying the role of personality in emotional states that moderate the process of risk perception and, more particularly, the perception of qualitative aspects of risk. Methods. The research, with a correlational design, analysed the personalities of the workers (measured through the Big Five Questionnaire), demographics and work factors, qualitative aspects of risk, perceived risk level, and other variables of interest, measured through ad hoc scales and items. The study was aimed at evaluating the existence of a relationship between perception of the qualitative aspects of risk and the following variables: (Hp1) personality, (Hp2) socio-demographic variables, (Hp3) self-perceived knowledge of safety regulations, (Hp4) satisfaction, (Hp5) perceived quality of life. Results. The results only partially confirmed the Hp1, and not for all the risk dimensions; moreover, they confirmed that age and length of service lead to a "presumption of control" effect (Hp2), while no gender differences were found. The Hp3 and Hp5 hypotheses were not confirmed, while satisfaction was a good predictor of the global level of perceived risk. Conclusions. Jointly, personality factors are excellent predictors of specific qualitative risk dimensions, but it will be important to regularly verify their role and contribution in the emotional factors that affect the perception of risk.