¶ … Andreas Cebulla addresses individualism and how the theory of risk is affected by it in society. The claim has been made, however, that individualism stops people from retaining meaning and position as to their social class. The risk and risk perceptions are not explored in the modern world as much as they used to be and therefore more research into the issue is needed, which is why the author chose to write the article. The methodology for this particular article was an empirical test and regression analysis that used survey data collected from England. This data was then subjected to tests that looked for risks in the categories of accident or illness, bad customer service, and income loss.

The perception of class affected the income loss risk, but it did not affect the other areas of risk. Value and welfare orientations were more important when it came to what shaped most of the risks. There were, however, some significant variations in the specific risk perceptions and the indicators that dealt with individualism failed to show how these could be explained. One correlation that worked well, however, showed that those that were perceptive of risks and careful to try to avoid those risks largely based that understanding on the amount of risk that they had taken in the future and how well those risks had worked out.

If the risks that were taken in the past worked out well, individuals would be more likely to take risks in the future. It is clear from those findings that it is important to differentiate between the different types of risks when it comes to the study of risk theory. Sociological contexts must also be more clearly examined and drawn out in order to be able to completely grasp the nature of the risks that are prevalent in today's modern society. The article showcases this information very well, and it is important in that it shows the need for further study into this issue and a better understanding of what must be learned in order to properly address risk.

Bibliography

Cebulla, a. (2007). Class or individual? A test of the nature of risk perceptions and the individualization thesis of risk society theory. Journal of Risk Research, 10(2), 129-148.