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In their review of the history of risk communication, Covello and Sandman (2001) identified phases in the history of risk communication relating to health, safety, and environmental issues.⁷ Covello and Sandman noted that for more than 60 years nations and organizations witnessed a tremendous take‐back of power and control by people over risk management policies. In the mid‐twentieth century, people were largely content to leave the management and control of risks in the hands of established authorities. However, by the end of the twentieth century and beginning of the twenty‐first century, people around the world had legislatively asserted their claim to be involved in setting and implementing policies regarding risk management and decision‐making. People became visibly upset and even outraged when they felt excluded from the risk management decision‐making process.

Covello and Sandman argued it was in this crucible that the basic tenets of risk and crisis communication were born. The tenets were created, in part, to guide the new partnerships and dialogs with those affected by risks and crises. They provided science‐based guidance for confronting the dilemma that perception equals reality, or becomes reality, and that which is perceived as real is real in its consequences.

Recognizing this dilemma, researchers examined whether there were science‐based and ethical ways to calm people and provide reassurance, particularly when data showed a risk was not large but people perceive it to be large and are upset, angry, or outraged. Researchers also examined whether there were science‐based and ethical ways to overcome apathy when data shows a risk is large and yet people perceive it to be insignificant and not deserving their attention.

This is the general context for the interest in risk communication that began in the 1960s and continues to this day.

In part, risk communication principles and tools were identified and developed to overcome communication obstacles. These obstacles included inconsistent, overly complex, confusing, or incomplete messages about risks; the lack of trust in information sources; selective reporting by the media; and psychological and social biases that affect how risk‐related information is processed.

Covello and Sandman described four evolutionary stages in the development of risk communication in terms of the changes in guiding philosophy and approach. The philosophical changes are core to understanding current practice and research.