Why do people fear the wrong things? - Gerd Gigerenzer
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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.
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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