Washington households' expected responses to lahar threat from Mt. Rainier

Abstract

This study examines households' risk perceptions and hazard adjustments through an investigation of the population at risk of lahars from the Mt. Rainier volcano. It is guided by a model in which demographic variables, locational variables, and past information search influence three psychological variables—risk perception, hazard intrusiveness, and affective response. In turn, these psychological variables along with locational and demographic variables influence three measures of household hazard adjustments—emergency preparedness, future information search, and evacuation preparedness. The data reveal a moderate degree of support for the model, with at least partial support for seven hypotheses. White ethnicity and income predict risk perception. Past information and age predict hazard intrusiveness. Past information search and White ethnicity predict affective response. Community bondedness, past information search, and crater proximity predicted emergency preparedness and evacuation preparedness. Risk perception and hazard intrusiveness predicted future information search. In addition, the results indicate that household emergency preparedness, perceived community preparedness and perceived emergency preparedness adequacy are distinct aspects of community hazard adjustment that should be examined in future research.