Variability of Uncertainty in Mental Reconstruction of Danger and Safety

Abstract

Subjective images of danger and security depend on the context of uncertainty. This article introduces a mental reconstruction of danger and safety for different types of uncertainty. The authors used the methods of associative experiment, subjective ranking, and semantic differential. The empirical data were processed by averaging, ranking, factor analysis, and the Mann-Whitney criterion. The survey involved students from several Russian metropolitan and provincial universities (19–20 y.o.; n = 105; 74 females). Danger demonstrated a less complex mental structure than safety. The mental reconstruction of danger / safety included three types of uncertainty. Temporal uncertainty included period, time, and frequency of danger / safety. Objective uncertainty was connected with the place, environment, and source of danger / safety. Subjective uncertainty covered controllability, scale, and cause of danger / safety. Uncertainty proved more important for danger than for safety. The subjective level of danger grew together with objective uncertainty, especially when the source of danger was unclear, and went down with temporal uncertainty. The subjective level of security increased with temporal and subjective uncertainty and decreased with objective uncertainty. When the subjective significance of danger and safety went up, the differentiation of uncertainty in their assessment became less significant. The study identified the effect of variability of uncertainty on the mental reconstruction made by the subjects of danger / security, as well as identified some understudied areas.

Keywords

• uncertainty
• safety
• danger
• association
• associative experiment
• subjective ranking, semantic differential