11:45 AM - 12:00 PM
[HDS09-11] Visualization of people's cognitions and behaviors toward natural disasters: Analysis of a nationwide survey in Japan, 2024
Keywords:Natural disaster, cognition-behavior gap, Disaster prevention behavior, Visualization, 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Nankai Trough Earthquake Emergency Information
Experiencing an earthquake temporarily increases disaster awareness and behaviors, but they return to their original state over time. Studies have repeatedly shown that immediately after a disaster, people's awareness and preparedness actions increase, but over time, they revert to their original state. This presents a major challenge in fostering disaster prevention literacy.
To examine the long-term effects of variation in social phenomena caused by disasters and factors that hinder disaster prevention behaviors, a social survey project has been planned. This study aims to visualize the impacts of social events such as the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the Nankai Trough Earthquake Emergency Information.
This study was conducted through an online survey at the end of December 2024. A total of 4,700 respondents were recruited from all 47 prefectures in Japan, with 100 samples evenly selected based on gender × age segments.
Table 1 presents the descriptive statistics of the demographics. Regarding the expectation of an earthquake disaster, more than 70% of the respondents perceived that an earthquake disaster was likely to occur within the next 30 years (Figure 1). This percentage was higher than those for other disasters. Over 70% of people recognized hazardmaps for earthquake and flooding(Figure 2). Conversely, the percentages of people who recognized hazardmaps for other disasters were relatively low. About 90% of people recognized the evacuation area to some extent (Figure 3). As for evacuation plans, more than 70% of those who recognized the evacuation area had plans, while only 11% of those who did not recognize it had plans (Figure 4).
Currently, only an average of 4.77 out of the 33 daily disaster prevention behaviors is implemented (Figure 5). Of these, an average of 2.36 were newly or re-implemented behaviors after the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The average number of disaster prevention behaviors newly or re-implemented after the Nankai Trough Earthquake Emergency Information was 2.07. The number of these behaviors implemented across the 47 prefectures is shown in Figure 6. Miyagi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa prefectures had the highest number of current disaster prevention behaviors. Ishikawa, Ehime, and Chiba prefectures had the highest number of newly or re-implemented behaviors following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Ehime, Shizuoka, and Chiba prefectures were more likely to newly or re-implemented behaviors after receiving the Earthquake Emergency Information. Figure 7 shows evaluations of the impact of the Earthquake Emergency Information. People's sense of crisis regarding earthquakes increased. In addition, people were more likely to evaluate the JMA's handling of the Earthquake Emergency Information as appropriate. Furthermore, the response of transportation agencies to this information and the cancellation of certain events were also evaluated as appropriate.
Although people's recognition of disasters such as earthquakes and hazardmaps was high, the number of disaster prevention behaviors undertaken was low. Thus, the results suggest the problem of the "cognition-behavior gap”, in which people are aware of disasters but do not take concrete action. Furthermore, regional differences may contribute to this gap. In addition to the differences among prefectures in the number of disaster prevention behaviors undertaken, there are also regional differences in the impacts of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the Earthquake Emergency Information. Further study on the cognition-behavior gap is needed, taking into account the influence of social and geographical characteristics of regions. Regarding the Earthquake Emergency Information, people had positive evaluations of measures taken by the JMA, public transportation, and the cancellation of events. Conversely, enhancing disaster prevention literacy to link this kind of disaster-related experience to the improvement of preventive behaviors remains a future issue.
To examine the long-term effects of variation in social phenomena caused by disasters and factors that hinder disaster prevention behaviors, a social survey project has been planned. This study aims to visualize the impacts of social events such as the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the Nankai Trough Earthquake Emergency Information.
This study was conducted through an online survey at the end of December 2024. A total of 4,700 respondents were recruited from all 47 prefectures in Japan, with 100 samples evenly selected based on gender × age segments.
Table 1 presents the descriptive statistics of the demographics. Regarding the expectation of an earthquake disaster, more than 70% of the respondents perceived that an earthquake disaster was likely to occur within the next 30 years (Figure 1). This percentage was higher than those for other disasters. Over 70% of people recognized hazardmaps for earthquake and flooding(Figure 2). Conversely, the percentages of people who recognized hazardmaps for other disasters were relatively low. About 90% of people recognized the evacuation area to some extent (Figure 3). As for evacuation plans, more than 70% of those who recognized the evacuation area had plans, while only 11% of those who did not recognize it had plans (Figure 4).
Currently, only an average of 4.77 out of the 33 daily disaster prevention behaviors is implemented (Figure 5). Of these, an average of 2.36 were newly or re-implemented behaviors after the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The average number of disaster prevention behaviors newly or re-implemented after the Nankai Trough Earthquake Emergency Information was 2.07. The number of these behaviors implemented across the 47 prefectures is shown in Figure 6. Miyagi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa prefectures had the highest number of current disaster prevention behaviors. Ishikawa, Ehime, and Chiba prefectures had the highest number of newly or re-implemented behaviors following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Ehime, Shizuoka, and Chiba prefectures were more likely to newly or re-implemented behaviors after receiving the Earthquake Emergency Information. Figure 7 shows evaluations of the impact of the Earthquake Emergency Information. People's sense of crisis regarding earthquakes increased. In addition, people were more likely to evaluate the JMA's handling of the Earthquake Emergency Information as appropriate. Furthermore, the response of transportation agencies to this information and the cancellation of certain events were also evaluated as appropriate.
Although people's recognition of disasters such as earthquakes and hazardmaps was high, the number of disaster prevention behaviors undertaken was low. Thus, the results suggest the problem of the "cognition-behavior gap”, in which people are aware of disasters but do not take concrete action. Furthermore, regional differences may contribute to this gap. In addition to the differences among prefectures in the number of disaster prevention behaviors undertaken, there are also regional differences in the impacts of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the Earthquake Emergency Information. Further study on the cognition-behavior gap is needed, taking into account the influence of social and geographical characteristics of regions. Regarding the Earthquake Emergency Information, people had positive evaluations of measures taken by the JMA, public transportation, and the cancellation of events. Conversely, enhancing disaster prevention literacy to link this kind of disaster-related experience to the improvement of preventive behaviors remains a future issue.