Ortwin Renn, Professor and Chair of Environmental Sociology and Technology Assessment at Stuttgart University, gave a speech entitled "Why do people fear what they fear? The psychology of risk".

Risk perceptions have a reality of their own: Just like the characters in animated films who, suspended in mid-air, do not plunge to the ground until they realize their predicament, people construct their own reality and evaluate risks according to their subjective perceptions. Intuitive risk perception is based on how information on the source of a risk is communicated, the psychological mechanisms for processing uncertainty, and earlier experience of danger. This mental process results in perceived risk. Thus the lecture will focus on the world of notions and associations which help people to navigate through a risky world.