Insight into the Earthquake Risk Information Seeking Behavior of the Victims: Evidence from Songyuan, China

Abstract

Efficient risk communication is a vital way to reduce the vulnerability of individuals when facing emergency risks, especially regarding earthquakes. Efficient risk communication aims at improving the supply of risk information and fulfilling the need for risk information by individuals. Therefore, an investigation into individual-level information seeking behavior within earthquake risk contexts is very important for improved earthquake risk communication. However, at present there are very few studies that have explored the behavior of individuals seeking earthquake risk information. Under the guidance of the Risk Information Seeking and Processing model as well as relevant practical findings using the structural equation model, this study attempts to explore the main determinants of an individual’s earthquake risk information seeking behavior, and to validate the mediator effect of information need during the seeking process. A questionnaire-based survey of 918 valid respondents in Songyuan, China, who had been hit by a small earthquake swarm, was used to provide practical evidence for this study. Results indicated that information need played a noteworthy role in the earthquake risk information seeking process, and was detected both as an immediate predictor and as a mediator. Informational subjective norms drive the seeking behavior on earthquake risk information through both direct and indirect approaches. Perceived information gathering capacity, negative affective responses and risk perception have an indirect effect on earthquake risk information seeking behavior via information need. The implications for theory and practice regarding risk communication are discussed and concluded.

Risk Information Seeking Behavior in Disaster Resettlement: A Case Study of Ankang City, China

“…After EFA was used to extract the dimensions, the results of the KMO test and Bartlett’s test of sphericity indicated that KMO almost exceeded 0.70 (see Table 2 ). This indicated that the set of data was suitable for the EFA [ 39 ]. All 28 items had a factor loading greater than 0.5, which corresponded to the six dimensions (see Table 1 ).…”

“…Peers serve as main and confirmatory sources during bushfires; environmental cues, radio, and agency websites are also important [ 37 ]. For terrorist attacks [ 38 ], tsunami, and earthquakes [ 39 , 40 , 41 ], television and radio are the main sources. Overall, in disasters, public sources of disaster information, such as television and Internet news websites, are more trusted than private sources, such as one’s family, friends, and social networking connections.…”

“…Newman and Staelin, 1971; Griffin, 1999; Li et al, 2017 [11,39,57] To what extent do you intend to seek disaster resettlement information from your friends and neighbors (ISB2).…”

An Interactive Model among Potential Human Risk Factors: 331 Cases of Coal Mine Roof Accidents in China

“…Therefore, Zhang et al [ 34 ] recommend that when observers find someone performing unsafely, they should communicate with the worker in good faith, point out the unsafe behavior and suggest ways to work safely. Li et al [ 42 ] found that efficient risk communication is an important way to reduce the vulnerability of individuals when facing an emergency risk. Even Jiao et al [ 43 ] has used an interactive customized portal as a risk communication tool to enable residents to understand the potential risks of nearby industries.…”

Information Preference and Information Supply Efficiency Evaluation before, during, and after an Earthquake: Evidence from Songyuan, China

“…Earthquakes are one of the most difficult hazards to be predicted and can result in massive casualties, property losses, and loss of municipal infrastructure. It is important for individuals to acquire sufficient earthquake disaster information so that, when faced with an earthquake, they are able to make the right decisions and take rapid actions with regard to mitigation measures and adjustments [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Research on the public’s disaster information acquisition content and channel preferences may help to improve the efficiency of information supply.…”