Cultural psychology and hazards research An integrated model for risk perception and warning response behavior Ashley Coles University of Arizona.

Cultural psychology Cultural psychology and hazards researchand hazards research

An integrated model for risk An integrated model for risk perception and warning perception and warning

response behaviorresponse behavior

Ashley ColesUniversity of Arizona

OutlineOutline Background literature Background literature

and theoretical and theoretical frameworkframework– Risk perception Risk perception

researchresearch– Cultural psychologyCultural psychology– An integrated modelAn integrated model

Case study: Flash Case study: Flash floods in Tucson, AZfloods in Tucson, AZ

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Risk perception researchRisk perception researchTypical approachesTypical approaches

There is an appropriate There is an appropriate response, anything else response, anything else is irrationalis irrational

Behavior as a result of Behavior as a result of psychological psychological (dys?)function(dys?)function

Behavior as a result of Behavior as a result of human naturehuman nature

More recently and More recently and frequently, studies are frequently, studies are beginning to account for beginning to account for the effects of the effects of culturalcultural and social contextsand social contexts

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What is culture?What is culture?

A way of life learned from and shared A way of life learned from and shared by a social unitby a social unit– Attitudes, beliefs, values, and habitsAttitudes, beliefs, values, and habits

While many regard culture as a While many regard culture as a national or multi-national variable, it national or multi-national variable, it also includes subgroups based on also includes subgroups based on “gender, ethnicity, religion, cohort or “gender, ethnicity, religion, cohort or generation, historical period, generation, historical period, profession, social class, and country profession, social class, and country of origin” of origin” (Kitayama & Markus, 1995, p. 368)(Kitayama & Markus, 1995, p. 368)

What role does culture play in What role does culture play in risk perception and behavior?risk perception and behavior?

Norms, values, and practices influence Norms, values, and practices influence how individuals process information and how individuals process information and make decisionsmake decisions

Actions become embedded in the culture, Actions become embedded in the culture, acting to either reinforce or transform the acting to either reinforce or transform the cultureculture

Cognitiveprocesses

CulturalNorms/values

Actions/Inactions

e.g. Kitayama and Markus, 1995

Main cultural factorsMain cultural factors

TrustTrust– In science, government, and responsible In science, government, and responsible

agencyagency Self-efficacySelf-efficacy

– How confident people feel in their ability to How confident people feel in their ability to handle ordinary life as well as extreme eventshandle ordinary life as well as extreme events

Social incorporationSocial incorporation– Extent of social networksExtent of social networks

Social autonomySocial autonomy– Degree of freedom to fill any Degree of freedom to fill any social rolesocial role

Time perspectiveTime perspective– Focus on past, present, or futureFocus on past, present, or future

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Proposed integrated modelProposed integrated model

Hazard information

Group Identities Cultural FactorsGender TrustAge Self-efficacyEthnicity IncorporationSocioeconomic AutonomyEtc. Time perspective

Behavior

Risk Perception

Values

Implications for mitigationImplications for mitigation

Education and information not likely Education and information not likely to change attitudes, values, and to change attitudes, values, and beliefsbeliefs

Risk managers must speak to these Risk managers must speak to these attitudes, values, and beliefsattitudes, values, and beliefs– Which means that Which means that

managers must “know” managers must “know”

the people they are the people they are

responsible for protectingresponsible for protecting

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Diversity?

Case study: Tucson, AZCase study: Tucson, AZ

Frequent heavy Frequent heavy downpours during downpours during summer monsoon summer monsoon seasonseason

Many low water Many low water crossings and crossings and roads built to roads built to convey waterconvey water

Barricades, signs, Barricades, signs, and even laws and even laws meant to deter meant to deter motorists often failmotorists often fail

Research designResearch design

Workshop with flood Workshop with flood risk management risk management agencies in Tucson to agencies in Tucson to share information share information and gather inputand gather input

Surveys to Tucson residents to elicit Surveys to Tucson residents to elicit cultural factors and behavior during flash cultural factors and behavior during flash floods (historical, typical, hypothetical)floods (historical, typical, hypothetical)

Multiple regression and factor analyses to Multiple regression and factor analyses to see which cultural factors appear to have see which cultural factors appear to have the highest impact on behavior – and howthe highest impact on behavior – and how

ConclusionConclusion

If cultural factors seem to influence risk If cultural factors seem to influence risk perception, socio-cultural contexts should perception, socio-cultural contexts should be considered in the development of be considered in the development of warnings as well as educational materialswarnings as well as educational materials

Thank Thank you!you!

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements Guidance and academic supportGuidance and academic support

– Drs. Katie Hirschboeck, Marv Waterstone, Drs. Katie Hirschboeck, Marv Waterstone, Stephanie Fryberg, Eve GruntfestStephanie Fryberg, Eve Gruntfest

Financial supportFinancial support– For travel and conference feesFor travel and conference fees

Hazards Specialty Group, Dept. of Geography and Hazards Specialty Group, Dept. of Geography and Regional Development (UA), Graduate and Regional Development (UA), Graduate and Professional Student Association (UA)Professional Student Association (UA)

– For researchFor research Climate Assessment of the Southwest (CLIMAS)Climate Assessment of the Southwest (CLIMAS)

Spanish translation and other assistanceSpanish translation and other assistance– Rolando Diaz, Abigail Sotelo, Dr. Sarah Moore, Rolando Diaz, Abigail Sotelo, Dr. Sarah Moore,

Susan Kaleita, Helen YoonSusan Kaleita, Helen Yoon