Determining factors influencing flood preparedness among citizens in Jakarta: A protection motivation theory approach

Abstract

The Jakarta Metropolitan Area is one of the cities heavily affected by floods in Asia. Effective disaster risk reduction strategies require deep understanding of what motivates its citizens towards preparedness and mitigation actions. This study aimed to discern these motivating factors among Jakarta's residents through the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) approach. Through an online survey, 304 participants provided insights into how the extended PMT factors shape their Protection Motivation (PM) towards flood preparedness. A total of nine (9) variables and 41 constructs were considered in this study. PMT factors were comprised of PM, Perceived Severity (PS), Perceived Vulnerability (PV), Response Efficacy (RE), and Perceived Self-Efficacy (SE) along with additional factors such as Media (M), Government Preventive Actions (GA), Flood Experience (FE), and Geographical Perspectives (GP). Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed that SE had the most substantial impact on influencing PM (β = 0.522) followed by PV, PS, and RE. The results also showed the significance of M and GA to both SE and RE. Meanwhile, FE illustrates positive impact to both PV and PS. Interestingly, GP was found to be only significant to PV and not to PS. External factors M and GA demonstrated a significant indirect effect on PM through SE, whereas GP exhibited a significant indirect effect on PM through PV. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and disaster management practitioners, emphasizing the power of media and the need for comprehensive strategies that address both the psychological and practical aspects of flood disaster readiness in Jakarta and potentially other flood-prone regions.