Worry Over Technological Activities and Life Concerns

A common mental response to risk is worry. Though generally associated with fear and anxiety, worry is primarily a cognitive activity that can, under some circumstances, be beneficial for developing coping strategies to deal with stressful events. The present study reports an assessment of worry done both before and after the reactor accident at Three Mile Island (TMI). Worries over nuclear risks were assessed in the context of central life concerns such as financial, physical, and interpersonal well-being. The TMI incident elevated nuclear energy worries to a level near those of central life concerns. The productive value of worry is discussed in terms of its relationship with opportunities for personal control.