How People Use Earthquake Information and Its Influence on Household Preparedness in New Zealand

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Abstract: Forty-eight interviews were undertaken with residents in Timaru, Wanganui and Napier, New Zealand, in 2008 to explore how people understand and use information about earthquake hazards and preparedness, and how this process affects actual preparedness. Three main types of information were identified as being utilized by people: passive information (e.g., newspapers, brochures, TV, radio, websites), interactive information (e.g., community activities, school activities, and workplace activities), and experiential information (e.g., experiencing a hazardous event, responding to an event, and working in an organization that deals with hazards). People tended to either contextualize hazard and preparedness information around any prevailing beliefs they had or form new beliefs on exposure to information. A number of core beliefs were identified as crucial for helping people consider that preparing is important and motivating actual adjustment adoption. Society also has an i

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