Does Communicating (Flood) Risk Affect (Flood) Risk Perceptions? Results of a Quasi‐Experimental Study

Terpstra, Teun; Lindell, Michael K.; Gutteling, Jan M.

doi:10.1111/j.1539-6924.2009.01252.x

Cited by 170 publications

(146 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Most studies on risk awareness have shown that survey participants are seldom concerned about natural hazards, and their level of preparedness appears to be correspondingly low (Botzen et al, 2009a;Bubeck et al, 2013;Birkholz et al, 2014;Terpstra et al, 2009;Siegrist and Gutscher, 2006;Siegrist, 2013;Thieken et al, 2007;Wachinger et al, 2013;Wagner, 2007). This supports the assumption that there is a relationship between risk awareness and mitigation behaviour.…”

Section: Relevant Findings and Open Research Questions On Risk Preparsupporting

confidence: 71%

“…The deficit model still seems to be predominant in the practice of risk management, and there has been little study on the effects of dialogue-based communication. One study that particularly focused on the effect of two-way communication on property owners' perception of flood risks found only limited changes in the respondents' perceptions (Terpstra et al, 2009). The communication strategy in the study by Terpstra et al (2009) involved deliberative elements, such as workshops and focus groups, in which participants could express their views and discuss them with others.…”

Section: Relevant Findings and Open Research Questions On Risk Preparmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Raising risk preparedness by flood risk communication

Maidl

Buchecker

2015

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

107

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Abstract. During the last decade, most European countries have produced hazard maps of natural hazards, but little is known about how to communicate these maps most efficiently to the public. In October 2011, Zurich's local authorities informed owners of buildings located in the urban flood hazard zone about potential flood damage, the probability of flood events and protection measures. The campaign was based on the assumptions that informing citizens increases their risk awareness and that citizens who are aware of risks are more likely to undertake actions to protect themselves and their property.This study is intended as a contribution to better understand the factors that influence flood risk preparedness, with a special focus on the effects of such a one-way risk communication strategy. We conducted a standardized mail survey of 1500 property owners in the hazard zones in Zurich (response rate main survey: 34 %). The questionnaire included items to measure respondents' risk awareness, risk preparedness, flood experience, information-seeking behaviour, knowledge about flood risk, evaluation of the information material, risk acceptance, attachment to the property and trust in local authorities. Data about the type of property and sociodemographic variables were also collected.Multivariate data analysis revealed that the average level of risk awareness and preparedness was low, but the results confirmed that the campaign had a statistically significant effect on the level of preparedness. The main influencing factors on the intention to prepare for a flood were the extent to which respondents evaluated the information material positively as well as their risk awareness. Respondents who had never taken any previous interest in floods were less likely to read the material. For future campaigns, we therefore recommend repeated communication that is tailored to the information needs of the target population.

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Section: Relevant Findings and Open Research Questions On Risk Preparsupporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Relevant Findings and Open Research Questions On Risk Preparmentioning

confidence: 99%

Raising risk preparedness by flood risk communication

Maidl

Buchecker

2015

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

107

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…In particular, response efficacy and selfefficacy contribute to the models of flood-adaptation behaviour. Similar results were found in other studies (Botzen et al 2009, Terpstra et al 2009, Botzen and van den Bergh 2012 confirming the importance of the coping appraisal for adaptation intentions. Zaalberg et al (2009) carried out a comparative study between flood victims and non-victims in the Netherlands, showing that exposure positively affects protective motivation for future flooding.…”

Section: Protection Motivation Theory and Literature Reviewsupporting

confidence: 81%

The impact of flood action groups on the uptake of flood management measures

et al. 2016

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Household flood management measures can significantly reduce the risk from flooding. Understanding the factors that influence the uptake of measures has important implications for the design of measures to induce people to take charge of risk mitigation. We investigate the impact of flood action groups in communities in Scotland on the uptake of four measures: insurance, flood warnings, sandbags and floodgates applying regression analysis using a cross-sectional survey (n = 124). The groups were formed in response to the threat from flooding in those communities, and offer information and training on household flood management measures. We use the theoretical framework of Protection Motivation Theory, and compare uptake of the measures before and after the foundation of the flood action groups, as well as in the near future. The models show positive adoption effects for flood warnings, floodgates and to an extent for insurance, and a positive correlation with increased confidence of implementing and belief in the effectiveness of the measures. The effect is significant if specific information on the measures was provided, indicating the importance of Climatic Change (2016)

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“…For instance with respect to flood risk, very few studies have examined the link between flood risk communication and flood individual risk perception (Kellens et al 2012). There is some indication that risk communication (for instance through workshops and focus groups) has only weak effects on the flood risk perceptions of individuals (Terpstra et al 2009). …”

Section: Involvement In (Previous) Events and Workhopsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptation to extreme weather: identifying different societal perspectives in the Netherlands

et al. 2013

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The intensity and occurrence of extreme weather events are expected to change with climate change. This change necessitates adaptive responses to extreme events, which need to take into account different societal perspectives, in order to be robust. In this paper, we explore the perspectives of different social actors in the Netherlands with respect to extreme weather events and ways to adapt to these events. The paper reports on a set of 41 interviews, using the repertory grid technique. The results were analyzed, to identify (a) the perspectives that stakeholders hold as most important for adaptation to extreme weather events; (b) the determinants of differences in perspectives. We find six different perspectives, all of which prioritize different adaptive actions. Producing robust adaptive responses which include different perspectives is therefore not a straightforward matter and is likely to result in win-lose situations. Further, differences in perspectives were not closely related to different sectors the interviewees belonged to. Thus, the traditional approach of involving different sectors to discuss and produce adaptation measures may be too limiting and needs to be supplemented to involving actors with different perspectives. The level of concern and level of information influenced the ways interviewees perceive adaptation priorities for extreme weather events. Participation in information events does not always result in perceived need to prepare for extreme events, something that adaptation communication needs to take into account.

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Does Communicating (Flood) Risk Affect (Flood) Risk Perceptions? Results of a Quasi‐Experimental Study

Cited by 170 publications

References 59 publications

Raising risk preparedness by flood risk communication

Raising risk preparedness by flood risk communication

The impact of flood action groups on the uptake of flood management measures

Adaptation to extreme weather: identifying different societal perspectives in the Netherlands

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