The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

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

Understanding householder responses to natural hazards: flooding and sea-level rise comparisons
Understanding householder responses to natural hazards: flooding and sea-level rise comparisons
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.
flooding, sea-level rise, social amplification, natural hazards, responses, perceptions
1366-9877
63-83
Harvatt, Joanne
30ce47ea-301e-429b-8f84-2918701b9395
Petts, Judith
c2b0c58d-c78d-4f2e-9bec-fa4e23d72ef6
Chilvers, Jason
a8b4a663-fe9f-4725-85e0-e4ade1ad0526
Harvatt, Joanne
30ce47ea-301e-429b-8f84-2918701b9395
Petts, Judith
c2b0c58d-c78d-4f2e-9bec-fa4e23d72ef6
Chilvers, Jason
a8b4a663-fe9f-4725-85e0-e4ade1ad0526

Harvatt, Joanne, Petts, Judith and Chilvers, Jason (2010) Understanding householder responses to natural hazards: flooding and sea-level rise comparisons. Journal of Risk Research, 14 (1), 63-83. (doi:10.1080/13669877.2010.503935).

Record type: Article

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.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 11 October 2010
Keywords: flooding, sea-level rise, social amplification, natural hazards, responses, perceptions
Organisations: Social Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 170439
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/170439
ISSN: 1366-9877
PURE UUID: f5eec520-49ab-429f-9750-9a8be1d65199

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 06 Jan 2011 15:31
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:24

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Joanne Harvatt
Author: Judith Petts
Author: Jason Chilvers

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×