Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Experience
. People are more inclined to be educated about and/or prepare for hazards that
they have experienced. In communities where there haven't been recent tsunamis to give
individuals any personal experiences with tsunamis, community memory of past events
can be sustained through oral histories of tsunami preparedness passed down through the
generations (McMillan and Hutchinson, 2002; Box 3.1), disaster memorials (Iemura et al., 2008;
Nakaseko et al., 2008), and survivor stories from recent tsunamis, such as the growing archive of
survivor stories at the Paciic Tsunami Museum in Hilo, Hawaii (Dudley, 1999). Tsunami survivor
stories and oral histories not only build hazard awareness but also increase the perception
that tsunamis are survivable if certain actions are taken (Paton et al., 2008). Although experi-
ence can increase the likelihood that people prepare, personal experience also biases people
to interpret educational information in the context of their own experience, which can either
support or contradict their notion of the risk's reality and severity. Prevalent myths and mis-
understandings need to be addressed in education efforts because existing misperceptions
may serve as obstacles and prevent people from hearing and correctly interpreting informa-
tion (Connor, 2005; Alexandra et al., 2009).
Perceived risk and action effectiveness
.
At-risk populations have their own perceptions of risk
which rarely match the calculations described by experts. Perceiving increased probabilities for
events did not increase public readiness action-taking (Kano et al., 2008). Instead, an intentions-
to-prepare model suggests people are more inclined to act on hazard education information
when they believe their present actions can mitigate their future losses (Paton et al., 2008).
Education efforts that dwell only on the uncontrollable aspects of tsunami hazards, specii-
cally event probabilities, do not inluence public action. Instead, risk awareness should be
framed to include information on uncontrollable tsunami hazards and controllable individual
consequences if a tsunami occurs, where individual actions can reduce these consequences.
An example of this is information included on tsunami evacuation maps (e.g., maps in Oregon,
Washington, and California) on how to prepare for tsunamis, develop emergency kits, and
evacuate to safe areas if individuals recognize natural cues or receive an oficial warning.
Warning conirmation process
. This process refers to individuals talking about educational
topics with others, seeking more information from other sources and places on their own, and
then making their own decisions about what they will think, do, and not do prior to taking
any action (Quarantelli, 1984; Mileti, 1995). It is part of understanding how individuals convert
information into actions (Quarantelli, 1984). Effective education incorporates activities that en-
courage people to talk about getting ready with each other, such as discussion groups during
workshops (e.g., Wood et al., 2002; Connor, 2005; Alexandra et al., 2009).
Understanding the Local Risk Conditions and the Target Audience
Effective public education for tsunamis begins with an understanding of the risks that
tsunamis pose to coastal communities (see Chapter 2) and of the existing knowledge and beliefs
