Testing for Radon

In one of multiple programmes funded by Environmental Protection Agency, we are testing ways to encourage people to test their home for exposure to radon. In the first phase, we conducted an online experiment to test how features of radon risk maps influence willingness to test for radon. The report is available here.

One of the main findings was that interactive maps that communicate radon risk using numeric frequencies (e.g., 1 in 5 homes) were more effective in increasing willingness to test for it than maps that used simple statements (e.g., your home is at high risk). The best performing map led to 72% more people being willing to test for radon, compared to the map in use by the national Environmental Protection Agency at the time of the study, demonstrating the potential for psychological science to help mitigate a real-world environmental risk.

The next phase is a field trial and will be informed by the results of the online experiment. The trial will test whether behaviourally-informed letters issued to households can improve testing rates in high-risk areas.