9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
[HDS07-03] Effects of disaster literacy factors on people’s reaction to the earthquake early warning
Keywords:Earthquake Early Warning, Disaster prevention literacy, Protective behavior
The earthquake early warning (EEW) system detects earthquakes and sends warning notifications to people in locations that can expect to experience shaking. The system can reduce damages from earthquakes if people received warnings and took appropriate protective actions. In Japan, the national EEW system has been officially operated since 2007, and people are relatively familiar with the system. However, previous studies indicated that people do not take protective actions when they receive a warning. This study investigates the effects of factors of disaster prevention literacy on people’s reactions to the EEW. We examine whether people’s expectations of future earthquakes, recognition of the hazard map, the experience of disaster victims, and daily disaster prevention behaviors are related to the selection of protective actions in the event of the EEW.
This study used research data from the social survey conducted by NIED in August 2022. The survey divided Japan into seven districts (Hokkaido/Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu) and collected 300 samples from each district, for a total of 2,100 samples. In this study, n = 491 analysis samples were obtained by excluding missing values from n = 532 respondents who answered that they received the EEW in the recent earthquake case that hit their district.
The results indicated that 13% of people took no action when they received the EEW. 52% of people took only mental reactions, such as “Look for further earthquake information about the warning” and “Stop, and stay still, awaiting the shaking on the spot”. 35% of people took physical actions, such as “Undertaking safety actions” and “Move nearby to where I think it is safe”.
We implemented an ordinary logistic regression analysis to predict people’s reactions to the EEW (inaction, mental reaction, physical actions). As a result, age, the expectations of future earthquakes, the experience of disaster victims, and the number of daily disaster prevention behaviors were related to people’s reactions to the EEW (Table 1). The older the age, the more people did not react to the EEW (Figure 1_a). People with expectations of future earthquakes were more likely to take physical actions than people without expectations when they received the EEW (Figure 1_b). And, the rate of inaction to the EEW was reduced and the rate of physical actions was increased in people with experience as victims of past disasters (Figure 1_c). The more daily prevention behaviors people took, the more likely to physical actions against the EEW were (Figure 1_d).
The study indicated that although most of the people reacted to the EEW, the predominant of them were mental reactions that did not involve physical actions. Especially, older people were more likely to take no action. People do not have enough time to take physical action because the window of time from an EEW until the arrival of shaking is often short. Because older people have difficulty acting quickly, the rate of their response to the EEW may be reduced. People’s expectations of future earthquakes and experiences of disaster victims can increase the probability of taking physical actions rather than mental reactions to the EEW. A previous study indicated that negative images evoked by past experiences of disaster victims were related to disaster mitigation behaviors. The cognitive accessibility of image related to strong shaking and damage by earthquakes are likely to enhance immediate actions in the event of earthquakes. Moreover, daily disaster prevention behaviors increased the tendency to take physical actions rather than mental reactions. Engagement in daily disaster prevention behaviors is likely to enhance the cognitive accessibility of concrete protective actions during disasters. This study suggested that disaster prevention literacies that increase the cognitive accessibility of concrete disaster images and protective actions are important factors to induce appropriate reactions to the EEW.
This study used research data from the social survey conducted by NIED in August 2022. The survey divided Japan into seven districts (Hokkaido/Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu) and collected 300 samples from each district, for a total of 2,100 samples. In this study, n = 491 analysis samples were obtained by excluding missing values from n = 532 respondents who answered that they received the EEW in the recent earthquake case that hit their district.
The results indicated that 13% of people took no action when they received the EEW. 52% of people took only mental reactions, such as “Look for further earthquake information about the warning” and “Stop, and stay still, awaiting the shaking on the spot”. 35% of people took physical actions, such as “Undertaking safety actions” and “Move nearby to where I think it is safe”.
We implemented an ordinary logistic regression analysis to predict people’s reactions to the EEW (inaction, mental reaction, physical actions). As a result, age, the expectations of future earthquakes, the experience of disaster victims, and the number of daily disaster prevention behaviors were related to people’s reactions to the EEW (Table 1). The older the age, the more people did not react to the EEW (Figure 1_a). People with expectations of future earthquakes were more likely to take physical actions than people without expectations when they received the EEW (Figure 1_b). And, the rate of inaction to the EEW was reduced and the rate of physical actions was increased in people with experience as victims of past disasters (Figure 1_c). The more daily prevention behaviors people took, the more likely to physical actions against the EEW were (Figure 1_d).
The study indicated that although most of the people reacted to the EEW, the predominant of them were mental reactions that did not involve physical actions. Especially, older people were more likely to take no action. People do not have enough time to take physical action because the window of time from an EEW until the arrival of shaking is often short. Because older people have difficulty acting quickly, the rate of their response to the EEW may be reduced. People’s expectations of future earthquakes and experiences of disaster victims can increase the probability of taking physical actions rather than mental reactions to the EEW. A previous study indicated that negative images evoked by past experiences of disaster victims were related to disaster mitigation behaviors. The cognitive accessibility of image related to strong shaking and damage by earthquakes are likely to enhance immediate actions in the event of earthquakes. Moreover, daily disaster prevention behaviors increased the tendency to take physical actions rather than mental reactions. Engagement in daily disaster prevention behaviors is likely to enhance the cognitive accessibility of concrete protective actions during disasters. This study suggested that disaster prevention literacies that increase the cognitive accessibility of concrete disaster images and protective actions are important factors to induce appropriate reactions to the EEW.