According to the model of public risk responses, which sequence represents the least frequent response?

• A. Denial Acceptance Panic Fear
• B. Acceptance Fear Denial Panic
• C. Denial Fear Panic Acceptance
• D. Panic Denial Fear Acceptance

Answer: (D)

The main idea is how people typically progress emotionally when faced with a public risk. In most real-world situations, responses unfold in a sequence where initial disbelief or minimizing the risk (denial) or a rising concern (fear) come first, then more extreme reactions (panic) can occur, and finally people move toward acceptance and taking protective actions.

Starting with panic as the first reaction implies an immediate, overwhelming loss of control before any acknowledgement of the risk or concern has even formed. That pattern is not how people usually respond; panic tends to be a more extreme, less common immediate state that often follows some level of denial or fear, not precedes them. Therefore the sequence that begins with panic is the least frequent.

By contrast, sequences that begin with denial or fear and later move toward acceptance align more closely with observed public risk response patterns, making them more plausible.