Experts generally assess risk objectively (analytically and rationally), whereas the general public tend to assess risk subjectively (intuitively). These two methods of risk assessment do not necessarily generate the same results. Intuitively, one can hypothesise that public acceptance of risk management policies partly depends on how the assessed risk by the experts and risk managers matches the wider community perception (assessment) of risk. This paper explores how the gap between these two groups can be bridged through risk communication. The subject of lay people’s risk perception and its determinant biases have been studied for decades in various disciplines. However, the influence of perception bias in the field of climate change risk communication has not been investigated in detail yet. Perception bias is regarded as an important reason for the difference between objective and subjective risk assessments. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by identifying the determinants of the general public risk perception bias through a literature review. This information provides insight into the general risk cognition of individuals and is instrumental in better understanding of how general public assesses and perceives risk. Such understanding should be useful in the development of climate change risk communication models.