The saying 'It's Not What You Say, It's How You Say It!' is associated with which concept in risk communication?

• A. Impression
• B. Image
• C. Integrity
• D. Reputation

Answer: (B)

This centers on how the way you communicate shapes how the audience perceives you as a risk communicator. The idea behind the saying is that tone, delivery, empathy, and clarity influence the audience’s mental image of the source, regardless of the raw facts. In risk communication, image is the public’s overall perception of you and your organization—the sense of trustworthiness, competence, and credibility built from how you speak and engage, not just what you say.

Why this fits best: the impact of delivery on perception is precisely what image captures. A calm, transparent, and respectful manner can enhance how the audience views your reliability and intentions, fostering a positive image even when presenting uncertain or challenging information.

Why the others don’t fit as well: impression is a general, everyday sense of how someone comes across but isn’t the standard construct used to describe ongoing public perception in risk communication; integrity refers to honesty and ethics, important but about character rather than presentation style; reputation is the broader, longer-term standing built from actions over time, not the immediate impact of how a message is delivered.