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When was the last time you feared for your life?
Fear, perceptions of safety, and our ability to recognize danger have always been essential for human survival and continue to shape how we navigate the world. These mechanisms have helped keep us alive, yet we are often unaware of how they operate in everyday life. Sometimes, we consciously assess risk, scanning our surroundings for potential threats and making calculated decisions about how to act. Other times, we feel a vague sense of unease, which we may or may not factor into our decision-making. There are also moments when environmental cues of risk trigger perceptual responses that influence our behaviors, without us even noticing.
Experiences of safety and danger vary widely. For some, safety may feel all-but-guaranteed: at home, at work, and in public spaces. For others, danger pervades every aspect of daily life. This could mean living with a violent partner, in hazardous housing conditions, or in a neighborhood with frequent break-ins and community violence. It might involve relying on transport with a high rate of accidents, working under hazardous conditions, living under an unstable government with threats of violence, or residing in a climate prone to natural disasters.
It can be difficult to grasp the impact of risk and danger if you live a safe and largely protected life. However, even in relatively secure environments, no one is immune to threats to personal safety. Psychological mechanisms have evolved to detect and respond to risk, shaping how we interpret the dangers around us. In the modern era, constant exposure to digital media floods us with images and stories of threats that may be far removed from our own experiences. This steady stream of information can distort our perceptions, amplifying fears or skewing our sense of the risks we actually face in daily life.
How we experience safety–both physically and psychologically–matters. It shapes our behaviors, interactions, and even our physiological responses. Yet, many of us have little awareness of how and why we feel safe or unsafe, or how these perceptions may subtly be directing our behaviors. Understanding this is crucial, not just for personal well-being but for the broader societal impact of safety and risk perception.
The Evolution of Perceptions of Risk
Throughout human evolution, the ability to swiftly detect and respond to threats was crucial for survival. Those who could quickly identify dangers—whether from predators, environmental hazards, or hostile groups—would have had a better chance of surviving and reproducing. This selective pressure led to the development of psychological mechanisms that detect and respond to cues in our environment that signal threats, danger, and risk.
One of the most well-known responses to danger is the fight-or-flight mechanism. When faced with an immediate threat, heart rate increases, muscles tense, and senses sharpen—preparing an individual to either confront the danger or flee. However, psychologists suggest that our response to danger, especially when presented with more subtle cues of risk, is not always this simple. More complex perceptual responses to environmental conditions can influence our behaviors in subtle ways. One such response is linked to our perception of uncontrollable risks.
Imagine a distant ancestor living in an environment where danger was constant and practically impossible to mitigate—whether from violent conflicts, extreme weather, or the threat of predators. In such conditions, surviving to old age would have been highly uncertain and largely beyond an individual's control. As a result, dedicating time and energy to long-term health would have seemed illogical, because the future benefits of investing in health were unlikely to come to fruition. More immediate priorities and survival demands would have taken precedence.
In contrast, an individual living in a stable and safe environment, where daily survival concerns were fewer and more manageable, would have had a much greater chance of enjoying the long-term benefits of looking after one’s health. In such a context, devoting more time and energy to actions that promote long-term health would make much more sense, as the rewards of this investment could be realized in the future.
This idea ties into the Uncontrollable Mortality Risk Hypothesis, which suggests that individuals who are more likely to die due to factors that are beyond their personal control are expected to be less motivated to invest in preventative health behaviors. When people feel a heightened sense of risk from factors they can’t control, they are less inclined to engage in behaviors that promote long-term health.
Why This Matters for Public Health
Safety improvements have long been recognized for their direct impact on health outcomes. For instance, safer workplaces reduce the number of accidents and injuries, while better urban design can lower the risk of road traffic accidents and encourage physical activity. These improvements don't just prevent immediate harm; they create an environment that supports long-term health and well-being. When safety is prioritized, it has a cascading effect, fostering healthier communities and reducing the burden on healthcare systems.
But safety’s impact on health extends beyond the immediate impact of lower exposure to risk. How individuals perceive their environment also plays a critical role. When people feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, or workplaces, they are more likely to engage in activities that promote health, such as exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. On the flip side, persistent fears or worries about safety can lead to stress, anxiety, and a range of behavioral health problems, including a sedentary lifestlye, an unhealthy diet, smoking, and substance misuse.
This concept is central to the Double Dividend of Safety. This framework suggests that improving safety not only leads to direct health benefits, such as fewer accidents or injuries, but also generates indirect health benefits by creating environments where people feel secure enough to take care of their well-being. In other words, the more we invest in safety, the greater the potential for improved health outcomes, both from reduced risks and from the positive health behavior effects that come from feeling safe.
Rethinking Safety as a Health Priority
Feeling safe isn’t just a comfort; it’s a foundation for overall well-being. From the mechanisms that shape our perceptions of danger to the long-term health benefits of living in safer environments, the evidence is clear: Safety matters. It shapes our behavior, influences our mental and physical health, and impacts the choices we make every day.
As we continue to think about public health strategies, we must expand our understanding of safety. Policies and interventions that improve safety can lead to better health outcomes for individuals and communities alike. By prioritising safety in the same way we prioritise other health determinants, we can make significant strides towards creating healthier, more resilient societies.
For more details of the Double Dividend of Safety Project, and how it is working to explore the relationship between safety and health, see the video below.
