https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE Expo
    • Calendar of Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Governments' Lighter Side


Article

Corrupt government officials and cyber attacks top American Fears list

Corrupt government officials and cyber attacks top American Fears list

Forget lions, tigers and bears, Americans most often have a fear of two things not hiding in the woods or the jungle.
  • Written by Stephanie Toone
  • 21st October 2015

Above burglary, rape and murder, Americans are most petrified by the thought of corrupt government officials and cyber attacks, according to a new Chapman University study.

Of the 1,541 adults responding to the Survey of American Fears, 58 percent expressed fear of the corruption of government officials. Cyber terrorism came in second with nearly 45 percent of respondents expressing fear about cyber attacks. The study, conducted by the California university’s Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies, measured subject’s fears on 88 topics, including government, disasters, personal anxieties and technology. 

The respondents rated their level of fear on a scale from 1 (not afraid) to 4 (very afraid). On average, the topic with the highest fear score was man-made disasters with a 2.15 average score, according to a Chapman University blog. Personal anxieties, such as judgment from other people, ghosts and the dark, were the least scary thoughts for those surveyed. The complete list of the ten domain of fears is shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The survey results are not surprising, since more people “overestimate the risk” of threats they cannot see, Robert Leahy, director of The American Institute for Cognitive Therapy and author of “The Worry Cure,” told The Washington Post.

“Ironically, we seldom fear the real threats — such as cancer and cardiovascular disease — [and] we engage in high-risk behavior such as overeating, drinking, smoking, etc.,” Leahy told the newspaper. “…We often believe that what is familiar to us — these habits — is not risky.”

_____________

To get connected and stay up-to-date with similar content from American City & County:
Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on Youtube

 

Tags: Administration Smart Cities & Technology Governments' Lighter Side Article

Most Recent


  • technology
    To ensure success when buying tech, local governments need to do their homework
    Municipal officials need to analyze their agency’s current IT setup as they consider upgrades, says Lauren Powalisz, principal, state, local higher education leader, Deloitte Consulting, a global management consultancy that provides technology, strategy and operations and human capital consulting for many industries, including the public sector. “Performing a current IT landscape assessment is an integral, […]
  • Detroit roadway with embedded wireless vehicle charging technology is the nation's first
    After two years of construction, Detroit has unveiled the first stretch of public roadway in the United States to feature an embedded wireless in-road charging system, letting innovators test their vehicle charging technologies in a real world environment. A Ford E-Transit electric commercial van equipped with a receiver is expected to begin testing the system […]
  • Detroit's new climate strategy includes policy benchmarks for energy, water usage in buildings
    A novel efficiency benchmarking policy for building energy and water usage is a cornerstone of Detroit’s new climate strategy, which sets out a plan to reduce municipal greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2034 and completely by 2050. “I am proud to have supported this ordinance, which was initiated by Detroit’s Green Task Force, […]
  • sustainability
    Cities can achieve sustainability wins with micro transportation, green infrastructure and climate resilience planning
    In 2024, local governments will continue working on several sustainability targets, says Stephen McCauley, associate professor of teaching at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass. He says those targets and areas of interest include micro transportation, expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure and reducing battery fire risk in electric vehicles. He predicts municipal governments will […]

Related Content

  • Lessons from your friendly neighborhood public service employees
  • North Texas alliance partners with Marketplace.city on smart government solutions
  • Harris County deploys next-generation security in 150 public buildings
  • How local governments can get ahead of the infrastructure wave: Strategies to mitigate risk

WHITE PAPERS


Best Practices for Grantees and Grantors: Grant Compliance

5th December 2023

The Four Key Components of Successful Digital Transformation

22nd November 2023

Navigating Today’s Greatest Workplace Challenges

3rd October 2023
view all

Webinars


Grant Preparedness: Unlocking Funding Opportunities for Your Success

10th August 2023

2023 State of Public Sourcing: Taking Local Governments into a Bright Future

1st August 2023

Stop Playing with Fire: How to Manage Infrastructure Asset Risk So You Know You’re Covered

20th June 2023
view all

Podcast


Podcast: Disaster Management Symposium preview

13th October 2023

Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


Gallery: 10 of the most affordable American cities for working adults

7th December 2023

Gallery: Top 10 domestic city travel destinations this Thanksgiving season

22nd November 2023

Gallery: 10 American cities that have seen substantial population growth in the last five years

6th November 2023
view all

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.