Protective behaviors against wildfire smoke in the western United States: An extended protection motivation theory perspective

Abstract

In recent years, the size and severity of wildfires in the Western United States have been increasing, and there is growing evidence that smoke from wildfires is associated with various negative health consequences. Integrating perceived knowledge and prior experience into the protection motivation theory (PMT), we surveyed a diverse sample (N = 529) in the Western United States to identify sociopsychological factors that explain wildfire smoke-related adaptive behavioral intentions. While people's intention to adapt to wildfire smoke was positively associated with perceived vulnerability and response efficacy, such intention was negatively associated with perceived self-efficacy and response cost. While prior wildfire experience was not associated with coping appraisal, perceived knowledge was positively associated with coping appraisal and intensified the positive association between perceived severity and behavioral intention. Our findings extend PMT approach in the context of wildfire smoke exposure to identify the antecedent role and moderating role of perceived knowledge and prior experience, while also offering implications for risk communication campaigns to encourage wildfire smoke adaptive behaviors among the public.