Role of hazard information in the adoption of seismic hazard adjustments: Information treatment experiment in Beijing

Abstract

Knowledge of local earthquake hazards is essential to encourage earthquake preparedness. However, within communities lacking hazard information and social norms that encourage earthquake preparedness, convincing individuals to embark on earthquake preparedness is a great challenge. This study aims to examine the role of hazard information in the adoption of hazard adjustment for an earthquake disaster. An information experiment was conducted on 273 residents in a community of the Haidian District in Beijing. The respondents were questioned about their knowledge and adopted hazard adjustments for earthquakes, and the source of information they received about Beijing seismic hazard. Next, the respondents were given an information treatment by presenting an information card describing the seismic hazard in Beijing, and then assessing their intention to further hazard adjustment adoption after reading the information. Results showed that respondents with prior knowledge of the seismic hazard in Beijing presented a significantly higher initial adjustment adoption; however, this difference narrows significantly after the information treatment as the respondents without previous knowledge increased their intention for hazard adjustment adoption. This change in hazard adjustment adoption intention was also attributed to coping appraisal and social influence. These findings suggest that effective and affordable coping measures, and social information about others’ decision-making, should be communicated in hazard information, to improve earthquake preparedness. Although the generalisability issues need to be noted, this study provides a basis for evaluating and improving of earthquake preparedness in similar communities in the Haidian District of Beijing and inspires future exploration amongst larger population demographics.