Acceptable risk is often defined in technical, regulatory, or ethical terms. Yet people do not decide that a risk is acceptable simply by estimating probabilities or expected harms. Judgments of acceptability are also shaped by how a hazard is perceived, whether those responsible for managing it are trusted, and whether exposure is regarded as fair. This mini review brings together research on risk perception, trust, and fairness to show how acceptable-risk judgments are formed within interperso