The hidden threat: Attending to passive risks heightens fear and risk perception.

Passive risks are risks that arise or are amplified by inaction, such as failing to undergo a medical screening test. Because their consequences are often delayed and diffuse, such risks may receive limited attention. The present research examined whether directing attention to passive risks is associated with differences in evoked fear, perceived severity, and prioritization for mitigation. In Experiment 1, participants were shown images of various passive risks, with attention consistently directed to one of them. In Experiments 2 and 3, verbal labels of the risks were used instead of images. Participants were asked to rate the fear evoked by, the perceived severity of, and the priority to address each risk. Results consistently showed that risks receiving greater attention were perceived as more severe than those receiving less attention. In Experiments 2 and 3, attended risks were also associated with higher reported fear and greater prioritization for mitigation. Experiment 3 further showed that the effect of attention on perceived severity was moderated by individual differences in passive risk-taking, such that the effect was weaker among individuals with a higher tendency to take passive risks. These findings indicate that attention is systematically related to how passive risks are perceived and evaluated, highlighting its role in shaping risk judgments and responses.