Baruch Fischhoff

Fischhoff

Baruch Fischhoff is an American psychologist and decision scientist known for his work in risk perception and decision analysis. He is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the Department of Engineering and Public Policy and the Institute for Politics and Strategy. Fischhoff has made significant contributions to the understanding of how people perceive and respond to risks, and his research has influenced public policy and risk communication strategies.

Early Life and Education

Baruch Fischhoff was born in Detroit, Michigan. He earned his B.S. in mathematics and psychology from Wayne State University and his Ph.D. in psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he studied under the supervision of Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, pioneers in the field of behavioral economics.

Career

Fischhoff began his academic career at Decision Research in Eugene, Oregon, where he worked alongside other prominent figures in the field of decision science. He later joined the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University, where he has held various positions, including head of the Department of Social and Decision Sciences.

Research Contributions

Fischhoff's research has focused on several key areas:

Risk Perception

Fischhoff has extensively studied how individuals and groups perceive and evaluate risks. His work has shown that people's perceptions of risk are influenced by factors such as dread, unknown risks, and personal control. This research has important implications for risk communication and public policy.

Decision Analysis

Fischhoff has contributed to the development of methods for improving decision-making processes. He has worked on techniques for eliciting expert judgments, structuring decisions, and evaluating outcomes. His work in this area has been applied to various fields, including healthcare, environmental policy, and security.

Risk Communication

Fischhoff has also focused on how to effectively communicate risks to the public. He has developed guidelines for creating clear and informative risk messages and has studied the impact of different communication strategies on public understanding and behavior.

Awards and Honors

Baruch Fischhoff has received numerous awards for his contributions to psychology and decision science, including the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Society for Risk Analysis.

Selected Publications

• Fischhoff, B., & Kadvany, J. (2011). Risk: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
• Fischhoff, B., & Bostrom, A. (1992). Risk Perception and Communication. In R. E. Kasperson & P. J. M. Stallen (Eds.), Communicating Risks to the Public. Springer.

See Also

• Risk perception
• Decision analysis
• Risk communication
• Behavioral economics
• Amos Tversky
• Daniel Kahneman