Motivating Public Mitigation and Preparedness for Earthquakes and Other Hazards

Over the past several decades, the social science research literature has amassed on how to increase the likelihood that members of the public will take action in response to preparedness and mitigation information. This article delineates some of the major studies in this arena, most based on the behavior of people regarding earthquakes in California. The authors maintain that this literature provides clear guidance about how such messages can best be composed and delivered. They further conclude that if helping members of the public become better prepared for disasters is truly a national priority, then designing public education campaigns, not in a vacuum but rather based on the accumulated research literature, must be a priority as well.