Source
Personal experience guides behaviour more than received information
30.09.2018
Feeling of familiarity is often based on the experience which seems to have a “special” status in risk perception and, consequently, risk behaviour. Namely, it appears that information coming from experiences guide behaviour more than the same information presented in the formal description (for example, by numbers or graphs). In a study by Weber, Shafir, and Blais (2004), participants were more willing to take a risk when they had personal experience with low probability events than when the same options were presented to them by formal descriptions. Behaviour based on the information coming from experience is proved to be more influenced by recent than distant events which is in accordance with classical reinforcement learning models (Weber et al., 2004).
Note: See source document for full reference.
Applicable to:
Cultural Factors: Individual/collective memory
Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards
Disaster Phases: Prevention, Preparedness
Types of Actors Concerned: Non-active citizens
Recommendations:
- Use local knowledge, collective memory and shared cultural values to improve disaster preparedness, response and recovery
- Inform citizens about the risk they may face and about possible actions and measures, they can take to reduce vulnerability and better prepare themselves
- Develop risk assessments methodologies, which consider cultural factors, the manner in which people cognitively process information and which employ a gender perspective
- Use cultural factors to improve the effectiveness of disaster communication