A communications intervention to motivate disaster risk reduction

Abstract

Article information:To cite this document: Anne M. Sanquini Sundar M. Thapaliya Michele M. Wood , (2016),"A communications intervention to motivate disaster risk reduction", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 25 Iss 3 pp. 345 -359 Permanent link to this document: http://dx.If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to apply social theory to the creation of a mass-media communications intervention designed to encourage earthquake-resistant construction in Nepal. Design/methodology/approach -A three-step process was employed in this study: first, a narrative literature review was completed regarding the motivation of protective action. Second, key informant elicitation interviews with 15 community members at five public schools who supported making their buildings earthquake-resistant informed the script for a documentary film. Finally, the film was reviewed with stakeholders, plus 16 community members associated with a school in need of seismic work. Sociograms were used to determine relative closeness of the study participants to the film role models. Findings -Motivating factors identified in the literature synthesis were included in the film, which focussed on effective actions taken by role models, and avoided the use of fear-based appeals. Key informant interviews yielded role-modeling details for the film script, including triggers and obstacles faced by the community members, and outcomes of their actions. Sociogram outcomes guided film editing and increased relative screen time for those community members with whom the study participants felt greater closeness. A pretest-posttest cluster randomized trial (details reported elsewhere) showed greater gains in knowledge, perceived outcome effectiveness, and intended behaviors among intervention film viewers than control participants. Originality/value -This three-step process yielded the information required by a practitioner to develop a theory-based, culturally appropriate mass-media intervention designed to motivate reduction of disaster risk.

Do Social Norms Affect Support for Earthquake-Strengthening Legislation? Comparing the Effects of Descriptive and Injunctive Norms

“…Although it is important to encourage steps to help recovery, such as creating an emergency kit and keeping it handy, research into increasing mitigation actions should provide substantial benefits for earthquake survival and reduced damage. For example, Sanquini, Thapaliya, and Wood (2016) created communications to increase support for earthquake-resistant construction and strengthening in the Kathmandu valley in Nepal (see also Sanquini, Thapaliya, Wood, Baiocchi, & Hilley, 2016). Given the high earthquake risk in the region, this type of mitigation can reduce damage and save lives.…”

“…First, there is a recognized lack of utilization of social norms in natural hazards research (Solberg et al, 2010). Although some research has examined the role of social cues and observation of behavior on earthquake preparation (e.g., Sanquini, Thapaliya, & Wood, 2016; Sanquini, Thapaliya, Wood, et al, 2016; Wood et al, 2012), past research has not specifically applied social norms to this domain. We therefore extend the theory to earthquake preparation.…”

Characters matter: How narratives shape affective responses to risk communication

“…In other words, feelings associated with risk influence an individual’s cognitive judgments about the likelihood and severity of a hazard. These findings have led to greater attention being paid to characteristics of risk communication stimuli or messages themselves [42], such as use of frames [43], advocacy for compelling visualizations [44], and documentary films [45]. All of these studies share a notion of the importance of some kind of rhetorical communication device or imagery or story to evoke an affective response.…”

Disaster Communication in Managing Vulnerabilities

“…These reports also showed significant increase in the loss of human lives and financial loss as a result of growth in population and ineffective urban planning in hazard zones, such as in flood plains or earthquake zones. Frequently, disaster tends to impact more the developing countries than developed countries -"more people die per disaster in low-income countries than in highincome countries" (CRED, 2015;Sanquini, Thapaliya & Wood, 2016).…”