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Human Casualties in Earthquakes pp 291–304Cite as

A Different View on Human Vulnerability to Earthquakes: Lessons from Risk Perception Studies

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Part of the book series: Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research ((NTHR,volume 29))

Abstract

A large proportion of people the world over do nothing or very little to adjust to seismic hazards. Antecedents of seismic adjustment adoption rates relate to fundamental motivations to understand, to belong, to enhance a sense of self-worth, to trust and to control. These motivations are accommodated within socioeconomic and cultural constraints. Understanding such motivations and constraints forms a step in understanding how to facilitate mitigative actions. Through consideration of these issues, the characteristics that define groups less likely to adopt mitigative measures against earthquake hazards are tentatively identified. A UCL-based study that looks to enhance the state-of-the-art knowledge on socio-psychological factors affecting seismic adjustment rates is described. It explores the barriers to seismic adjustment in individuals and small groups in three different countries, and this paper presents some of its initial findings.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    T. Rossetto

  2. Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    H. Joffe & C. Solberg

Authors
  1. T. Rossetto
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  2. H. Joffe
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  3. C. Solberg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Rossetto .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. De Freville Avenue 82, Cambridge, CB4 1HU, United Kingdom

    Robin Spence

  2. USGS, 1711 Illinois Street 1, Golden, 80401-1865, Colorado, USA

    Emily So

  3. Shinnyo-cho 10, Kyoto, 606-8414, Japan

    Charles Scawthorn

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Rossetto, T., Joffe, H., Solberg, C. (2011). A Different View on Human Vulnerability to Earthquakes: Lessons from Risk Perception Studies. In: Spence, R., So, E., Scawthorn, C. (eds) Human Casualties in Earthquakes. Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, vol 29. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9455-1_20

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