Risk Attribution Asymmetry
The same risk is tolerated when chosen and rejected when imposed, dreaded when unfamiliar and accepted when familiar; how a risk is attributed decides whether it feels acceptable, independent of its size.
An everyday example
Accepting the risk of driving daily while refusing a smaller risk imposed by a supplier's change.
What it can cost you
Risk decisions driven by who chose and how familiar, not by expected loss; persuaders who frame risks as chosen.
Warning signs
- I accept this risk because I chose it.
- The imposed one feels worse at the same size.
One thing to do
Re-describe any risk as if it were imposed by a stranger and as if it were your own choice; decide on the number, not the framing.
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