Understanding householder responses to natural hazards: Flooding and sea-level rise comparisons

Harvatt, Joanne, Petts, Judith and Chilvers, Jason ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9238-1653 (2011) Understanding householder responses to natural hazards: Flooding and sea-level rise comparisons. Journal of Risk Research, 14 (1). pp. 63-83. ISSN 1366-9877

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

Starting from a general understanding that experience of hazards is important in motivating protective response, this paper reports a novel study to understand the relationship between householder experience, understanding and response to two natural hazards - flooding and sea-level rise - in three contrasting high-risk areas of England. It presents a generic Individual Understanding and Response Framework (IURF) as a simple but potentially valuable means of comparing hazards and expressing the dynamic processes that appear to heighten or attenuate understanding and drive or constrain responses to specific natural hazards. The IURFs confirm the complexity of factors underlying householder understanding and response. Even in high-risk areas a lack of recent direct personal experience of flood events serves to attenuate understanding and to constrain motivation to take personal action. For sea-level rise, as yet a largely 'unknown' hazard in the local context, perceived responsibility to act is transferred to others. Social networks are confirmed as important local sources of information often more important than the official. People evaluate potential protection or mitigation measures in terms of their efficacy, cost and implementation barriers. The paper concludes with discussion of the communication and engagement implications for communities at risk from natural hazards.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Science, Society and Sustainability Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Resources, Sustainability and Governance (former - to 2018) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Social Sciences
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	26 Jan 2011 14:36
Last Modified:	20 Mar 2023 10:32
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/19925
DOI:	10.1080/13669877.2010.503935

Actions (login required)

View Item