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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.

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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

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