A sample of the total Swedish population (N = 840) as well as of the population in an area exposed to a particularly high fallout after the Chernobyl accident  (N = 216), was analyzed. Perception of the Chernobyl threat, emotional reactions, general threat perception threshold, ability to structure the situation, and reported coping styles and strategies were analyzed in relation to age, education and sex. The measures used were based on general appraisal theory and the Sequential Appraisal Model, which specifies a perception process based on three modalities: structure, valence and coping assessment. The results were as follows: Negative emotional reactions and perception of the Chernobyl threat were predicted by living in a high risk zone, sex, cognitive structure of the threat, and the threshold for threat perception. Habit changes were related to the cognitive and emotional domains. The hypothesis that high level of self perceived coping potential was associated with less negative reaction could not be confirmed.