1. A subjective phenomenon

The term "psychosocial risk" (PSR) has become part of everyday language and is now enshrined in law. Yet it is far from self-evident. While the notion of risk is relatively well understood , the combination of two concepts that refer, on the one hand, to the psyche (i.e. an individual dimension) and, on the other, to the functioning of society (i.e. a collective dimension) is not self-evident. In reality, the concept of RPS is the result of a compromise between social partners.

The vagueness surrounding the concept of RPS is mainly due to the fact that it can refer to a potentially dangerous exposure, the consequence of this exposure, or the process linking exposure and response. Within...