Motivations to prepare after the 2013 Cook Strait Earthquake, N.Z (original) (raw)

Are two earthquakes better than one? How earthquakes in two different regions affect risk judgments and preparation in three locations

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 2016

Research has shown that experiencing a single disaster influences people's risk judgments about the hazard, but few studies have studied how multiple disasters in different locations affect risk judgments. Following two earthquake sequences in two different regions (Christchurch, Cook Strait), this study examined earthquake risk judgments, non-fatalism and preparation in two New Zealand cities that were near to one of those sequences (Christchurch in Canterbury, Wellington near Cook Strait) and in one city that was distant from both events (Palmerston North). Judgments of earthquake likelihood were higher after the Cook Strait earthquakes than before in Christchurch and the rest of New Zealand, but not in Wellington, where the baseline risk was high. However, participants in all cities saw the risk as more real, plausible, and important after these earthquakes, particularly in Wellington. Preparations following the earthquakes were also higher in Wellington and Christchurch (where non-fatalism was highest) than in Palmerston North. Causal attributions for (not) preparing differed across the three cities, as did nonfatalism. These findings suggest that the Christchurch and Cook Strait earthquakes had a combined effect on citizens' perception of the risk, particularly in Wellington. Such events create a valuable window of opportunity for agencies wishing to enhance preparedness.

Guidelines for encouraging householders’ preparation for earthquakes in New Zealand

2 Contents Preface A. Theories of behaviour change 1. The theory of planned behaviour 2. Implementation intentions 3. Person relative to event (PrE) Theory 4. Summary B. Perceptions of the hazard 1. Unrealistic optimism 2. Denial 3. Underestimates of the risk of low frequency events 4. Misjudgments of the relative risk of different hazards 5. Judgments of earthquake likelihood versus consequences C. Perceptions of the efficacy of action: Fatalism and Efficacy 1. Locus of control and Fatalism 2. Changing people's attributions for damage 3. News reports, risk communication and public education 4. People's models of earthquake damage 5. Beliefs about action versus beliefs about the hazard 6. Costs and benefits of interventions 7. The effect of community networks D. Case studies E. Summary and recommendations 3 Preface

The Effects of Earthquake Experience on Intentions to Respond to Earthquake Early Warnings

Frontiers in Communication

Warning systems are essential for providing people with information so they can take protective action in response to perils. Systems need to be human-centered, which requires an understanding of the context within which humans operate. Therefore, our research sought to understand the human context for Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) in Aotearoa New Zealand, a location where no comprehensive EEW system existed in 2019 when we did this study. We undertook a survey of people's previous experiences of earthquakes, their perceptions of the usefulness of a hypothetical EEW system, and their intended responses to a potential warning (for example, Drop, Cover, Hold (DCH), staying still, performing safety actions). Results showed little difference in perceived usefulness of an EEW system between those with and without earthquake experience, except for a weak relationship between perceived usefulness and if a respondent's family or friends had previously experienced injury, damage or ...

When the earth doesn’t stop shaking: How experiences over time influenced information needs, communication, and interpretation of aftershock information during the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, New Zealand

International journal of disaster risk reduction, 2019

The Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) began with the Darfield earthquake on 4 September 2010. Continual large and small aftershocks since that time have meant communities have cycled through repeated periods of impact, response and recovery. Scientific communication about aftershocks during such a prolonged sequence has faced distinct challenges. We conducted research to better understand aftershock information needs for agencies and the public, and how people interpreted and responded to such information. We found that a wide range of information was needed from basic facts about aftershocks through to more technical information, and in different formats (e.g. maps, tables, graphs, text, analogies). Information needs also evolved throughout the sequence, and differed depending on people's roles and experiences, and the phase of impact, response and recovery communities were in. Interpretation of aftershock information was influenced by a variety of

Community resilience to earthquakes: understanding how individuals make meaning of hazard information, and how this relates to preparing for hazards

2009

There has been little in-depth study on the processes that influence how individual, community and societal factors interact to determine how people render hazard information meaningful, and how this interactive process translates into preparedness actions. A PhD study is currently underway to address this gap. The study uses qualitative research methods (i.e. interviews with community members) to explore aspects of meaning-making, preparedness, adaptive capacity and resilience for hazards. Interviews have been undertaken with individuals in three communities (Napier, Wanganui and Timaru) to explore how people make meaning of earthquake hazard information, and the factors behind why these people do, or do not, prepare for earthquakes. This paper outlines some preliminary findings from the interviews in Timaru. At a later stage, the interviews will also be complemented by quantitative surveys to test findings from the interviews at a general community level. The ultimate aim of this research is to enhance community resilience to natural hazards. By undertaking qualitative interviews, and follow-up quantitative surveys directly informed by the qualitative work, a better understanding can be gained about the influences and mechanisms that enhance sustained household and community preparation. From this understanding, current models of resilience can be improved and subsequently fed into policy-making for hazard management.

Risk judgments and social norms: Do they relate to preparedness after the Kaikoura earthquakes

2019

Research has shown that preparation for natural hazard events reflects several factors including risk judgments and the cost of the actions. Research has also shown the effects of norms in other domains but very little research regarding natural hazards. This study examined risk judgments and preparedness norms following the recent Kaikōura earthquake. Wellington citizens judged the risk of earthquakes in Wellington, Kaikōura, and other parts of New Zealand (“elsewhere”) before and after the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. They also reported their preparation and perception of norms for different categories of actions. Judgments of the risk of a further earthquake occurring following the Kaikōura earthquake rose more for Kaikōura than for Wellington and elsewhere, but participants still judged an earthquake more likely in Wellington and elsewhere than in Kaikōura. Preparation was positively related to risk judgment and to the judgment that preparing was normative, particularly for surviva...

Earthquake Preparedness: Predictors in a Community Survey1

Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1992

We measured the relationship between earthquake concern and preparation in a community with high seismic risk. Five samples of approximately 800 people were interviewed by telephone about their earthquake concern, but this study focuses on the last two samples in which respondents reported their preparatory behaviors. The findings were consistent in showing greater likelihood of concern for those who had experienced an earthquake, were female, younger, and non-Anglo and a greater likelihood of preparation for those who had more concern, were married, and had lived longer at their present address. In a nonrecursive causal model, no evidence was found for a reciprocal effect of preparation on concern. These results were discussed in terms of health belief models including the self-efficacy and "stages of change" perspectives. Implications were drawn for interventions to increase preparation in ready-to-change groups and compensate for the resistance of those less willing or able to prepare. Recent earthquakes have killed tens of thousands of people in Mexico City, Soviet Armenia, Iran, and the Philippines. The 1989 Loma-Prieta ("world series") quake reminded Americans of their own vulnerability to major earthquakes. This earthquake registered 7.1 on the Richter scale (releasing seismic energy equivalent to a 7-megaton nuclear explosion), caused an estimated $5.6 billion in damage, and killed 63 people (CDC, 1989).

When a hazard occurs where it is not expected: risk judgments about different regions after the Christchurch earthquakes

Natural Hazards, 2014

Research on risk judgments about hazards has not examined risk perception inside and outside the affected regions when a disaster occurs in an unexpected location. This research examined preparedness and judgments of earthquake risk after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake in three New Zealand cities: Christchurch, Wellington, and Palmerston North. We selected Christchurch, because its citizens did not expect an earthquake (but it occurred there); Wellington, because its citizens expected an earthquake (but it did not occur there); and Palmerston North, because its citizens did not expect an earthquake (and it did not occur there) and is thus comparable to Christchurch before the earthquakes. The research examined the relation of participant city to risk assessments for before (recall) and after the earthquakes, participants' attributions for their risk judgments and for (not) preparing, and earthquake damage for Christchurch participants. Participants reported that prior to the earthquakes, they saw an earthquake as more likely in Wellington than in Christchurch and Palmerston North. In all three samples, expectations of another earthquake in Christchurch were significantly higher after the Christchurch earthquakes. Palmerston North expectancies of a local earthquake were also higher after the earthquakes, whereas Wellington citizens' expectancies of a local earthquake were only marginally higher. Preparations increased after the earthquakes, particularly in Christchurch. These findings suggest that prior expectancies and disaster experiences affect earthquake risk judgments and preparation inside and outside the affected region.

Behavioral Response in the Immediate Aftermath of Shaking: Earthquakes in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand, and Hitachi, Japan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2016

This study examines people's response actions in the first 30 min after shaking stopped following earthquakes in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand, and Hitachi, Japan. Data collected from 257 respondents in Christchurch, 332 respondents in Hitachi, and 204 respondents in Wellington revealed notable similarities in some response actions immediately after the shaking stopped. In all four events, people were most likely to contact family members and seek additional information about the situation. However, there were notable differences among events in the frequency of resuming previous activities. Actions taken in the first 30 mins were weakly related to: demographic variables, earthquake experience, contextual variables, and actions taken during the shaking, but were significantly related to perceived shaking intensity, risk perception and affective responses to the shaking, and damage/infrastructure disruption. These results have important implications for future research and practice because they identify promising avenues for emergency managers to communicate seismic risks and appropriate responses to risk area populations.