Despite the numerous studies focused on the sociopsychological factors involved in seismic preparedness, we have limited knowledge of the impact pathways from fatalism belief and optimism orientation to preparedness. This study proposed a theoretical model to examine the intertwined relationships among fatalism belief, optimism orientation, and risk perception regarding public seismic preparedness based on a survey in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China. The results indicate that fatalism belief can directly reduce an individual's seismic preparedness intention. In addition, such beliefs negatively moderate the positive relationship between the probability perception of earthquakes and skill preparedness. Moreover, optimism orientation has dual effects. On the one hand, it directly enhances the public's intention to prepare. On the other hand, it makes people underestimate their perceptions of the consequences of earthquakes, which indirectly reduces their willingness to materially prepare. Furthermore, we found that fatalism belief can negatively moderate the positive relationship between optimism orientation and material preparedness. These findings contribute to safety education for earthquake disaster risk reduction (EDRR) strategies, especially those used where fatalist culture is prevalent.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.