The paradigm of risk communication is shifting from a linear industry or government agency to lay public model to one that features dialogue. This shift requires that professional communicators such as public relations and community outreach professionals understand the dynamics of this infrastructure if they are going to improve the quality of this dialogue. Most risk communication studies have ignored the professional role and communication processes of technical experts. This study focused on one group of technical experts, industrial hygienists, with specific attention to the impact of cognitive involvement, uncertainty, and control on their communication. Results indicate that hygienists who are employed in the industry show significant differences from nonemployees, especially in terms of level of cognitive involvement, uncertainty, use of business as sources of information, perceived knowledge of risks, and confidence in industry's willingness to exert self-control to abate risks. Of related importance is the identification of communication networks that technical experts use to obtain and evaluate information regarding risks.
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