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Why do people fear the wrong things? - Gerd Gigerenzer

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TEDEd Animation

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A new drug reduces the risk of heart attacks by 40%. Shark attacks are up by a factor of two. Drinking a liter of soda per day doubles your chance of developing cancer. These are all examples of a common way risk is presented in news articles, and can often be misleading. So how can we better evaluate risk? Gerd Gigerenzer explores the difference between relative and absolute risk.

WatchThink Dig Deeper Discuss
The TV station NBC 5 reported in November 2008 that crimes are rising in Chicago. The screen showed the relative risk increases: Thefts up 3%; Robberies up 9%; Burglaries up 5%. The news speaker summarized the situation: “Overall, thefts, robberies and burglaries are up 17 percent this year.” What do you think of her summary?

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Meet The Creators

  • Director Mateus Moretto
  • Educator Gerd Gigerenzer
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Mateus Moretto, Luciano do Amaral
  • Animator Mateus Moretto, Luciano do Amaral
  • Art Director Mateus Moretto
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Script Editor Elizabeth Cox, Eleanor Nelsen
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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