A different view on human vulnerability to earthquakes: Lessons from risk perception studies

Abstract

A large proportion of people the world over do nothing or very little to adjust to seismic hazards. Antecedents of seismic adjustment adoption rates relate to fundamental motivations to understand, to belong, to enhance a sense of self-worth, to trust and to control. These motivations are accommodated within socioeconomic and cultural constraints. Understanding such motivations and constraints forms a step in understanding how to facilitate mitigative actions. Through consideration of these issues, the characteristics that define groups less likely to adopt mitigative measures against earthquake hazards are tentatively identified. A UCL-based study that looks to enhance the state-of-the-art knowledge on socio-psychological factors affecting seismic adjustment rates is described. It explores the barriers to seismic adjustment in individuals and small groups in three different countries, and this paper presents some of its initial findings.