We conducted this study to test for an interaction of media effects and individual differences that could affect hurricane evacuation decision-making. Participants responded in an online, Qualtrics-hosted survey to many demographic and individual difference questionnaires assessing decisions one would make in a hurricane evacuation. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two video conditions (reporter emotionality: high or low) and asked a number of questions about the field-reporting meteorologist they viewed. We predicted an interaction between intuitive thinking (which is faster and more emotional) and emotional reporting such that highly intuitive thinkers would be more likely to evacuate when presented with more emotional hurricane field reporting. This hypothesis was rejected. However, there was a main effect of intuition, whereby highly intuitive people expressed more fear for weather (but not hurricanes). Furthermore, there was a main effect of media condition: People exposed to highly emotional field reporting in general were more likely to evacuate. These results are discussed in light of meteorological communication standards and principles.
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