Correlates of flood hazard adjustment adoption in four coastal communities

This study examines the prediction of three types of household flood hazard adjustment (emergency preparedness, structural mitigation, and nonstructural mitigation) by a comprehensive set of risk perception variables (expected personal consequences, affective response, hazard intrusive thoughts, and hazard intrusive discussions). These risk perception variables were supplemented by six contextual variables (flood information sources, perceived personal protection responsibility, hazard experience, hazard proximity, Community Rating Service (CRS) rating, and demographic characteristics). The data reveal that the risk perception scales measure psychometrically distinct constructs that are only significantly correlated with nonstructural mitigation. Moreover, contextual factors such as hazard information, hazard experience, hazard proximity, age, and home value have significant, but differing effects on the adoption of the three types of hazard adjustments. These results suggest that tailored outreach and information is needed to motivate the adoption of different types of flood hazard adjustments. This is especially important because increasing changes in the global climatic system are expected to produce flood threats of greater frequency and intensity.