PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - G. L. Poe AU - H. M. van Es AU - T. P. VandenBerg AU - R. C. Bishop TI - Do participants in well water testing programs update their exposure and health risk perceptions? DP - 1998 Oct 01 TA - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation PG - 320--325 VI - 53 IP - 4 4099 - http://www.jswconline.org/content/53/4/320.short 4100 - http://www.jswconline.org/content/53/4/320.full AB - This paper uses data from two studies about people's perceptions of nitrate health risks and exposure before and after a well testing program to investigate whether people update their perceptions about risk when they get new information. Graphical analyses demonstrate that, on the whole, updating occurs when well test information is provided. Statistical analyses indicate that the way in which people update their perceptions is related to their prior perceptions and nitrate test levels. Evidence that people do change how they view these issues demonstrates that public information programs can be effective in modifying individual perceptions of risk, and offers a critical first step in assessing the cost effectiveness of such programs.