The “Jim Cantore Effect?” A Preliminary Test of Individual Difference-Induced Media Effects Upon Hurricane Evacuation Decisions

Abstract

We conducted this study to test for an interaction of media effects and individual differences that could affect hurricane evacuation decision-making. Participants responded in an online, Qualtrics-hosted survey to many demographic and individual difference questionnaires assessing decisions one would make in a hurricane evacuation. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two video conditions (reporter emotionality: high or low) and asked a number of questions about the field-reporting meteorologist they viewed. We predicted an interaction between intuitive thinking (which is faster and more emotional) and emotional reporting such that highly intuitive thinkers would be more likely to evacuate when presented with more emotional hurricane field reporting. This hypothesis was rejected. However, there was a main effect of intuition, whereby highly intuitive people expressed more fear for weather (but not hurricanes). Furthermore, there was a main effect of media condition: People exposed to highly emotional field reporting in general were more likely to evacuate. These results are discussed in light of meteorological communication standards and principles.

File Drawer Report: A Preliminary Test of Video-Mediated Severe Weather Exposure and Note on the Potential Role of Mindfulness in Decreasing Storm-Associated Negative Affect

“…Psycho-behavioral researchers seek to answer questions about individual reactions and responses to sanguine as well as more dangerous weather conditions. Topics include but are not limited to forecast uncertainty (e.g., Grounds & Joslyn, 2018;Joslyn & Savelli, 2010;Joslyn & LeClerc, 2012;LeClerc & Joslyn, 2012), extreme weather risk perception (e.g., Allan et al, 2020;Krocak et al, 2020;Ripberger et al, 2020), hurricane evacuation (e.g., Allen et al, 2020;Stewart, 2011Stewart, , 2015, and more general uses of weather information (Bolton, Blumberg et al, 2020;Stewart, 2009;Stewart et al, 2012). Much of this work can be practically applied to vulnerable populations (Bolton et al, 2021;Lazrus et al, 2012;Sherman-Morris et al, 2020).…”