How perceptions about community preparedness influence householders' own hazard readiness

Telling residents about how and why to prepare for bushfires and floods is not always effective in prompting them to act. Hazard Note 54 explored the potential of a different motivational strategy, which is based on a theoretical model of behaviour called the Reasoned Action Approach. Specifically, the researchers investigated the extent to which residents’ preparedness could be explained by their perceptions of the culture of preparedness in their local community.

Data about bushfire and flood preparation from residents across several states was collected to measure the perceived attitudes and social norms around preparing held different portions of the community.

Among the key findings were that to effectively influence natural hazard preparedness, it is important to 1) consider which aspects of preparedness need to be influenced, 2) which community groups have the most influence on that aspect of preparedness, and 3) whether this influence should be based on how prepared the community group is in relation to this aspect, or how prepared the community group expects others to be in this regard.