Does place visualisation increase household preparedness for natural hazard events? A longitudinal intervention

Abstract

Novel approaches are needed to increase preparedness behaviours in populations with high disaster risk. Crucially, such approaches need to take into account the relationships that people have with place. We report a randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of an online place attachment mental visualisation task to increase preparedness behaviours. Findings from a pilot (Study 1) using pre and post-test measures showed mixed evidence for the influence of mental visualisation on place attachment. Using a pre-registered randomised controlled trial with a two-week follow-up in a community sample (Study 2), we expected that visualising one's house or neighbourhood would result in stronger intentions to prepare, and greater implementation of preparedness behaviours at a follow-up, when compared to visualising a neutral place. Findings showed no main effect of visualisation on survival, mitigation, or community preparedness behaviours. These studies broadly indicate that our online mental place visualisation task was not sufficient to influence preparedness behaviours. We discuss implications of these findings for the advancement of place attachment theory and behaviour-change techniques.