Why do people fear the wrong things? - Gerd Gigerenzer
645,500 Views
12,619 Questions Answered
Let’s Begin…
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.
A magazine alarmed its readers with the headline: “Shark attacks: 100% more deaths than last year.” What conclusion is consistent with this figure?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
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