Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The good, the bad and the ugly: on the interactions among experience, exposure and commitment with reference to landslide risk perception in México

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Risk perception plays a significant role not only in terms of behaviour, but as a basic element for enhancing awareness and preparedness and achieving disaster risk management. Disasters are produced by the combination of hazards and the different dimensions of vulnerability. Recognizing the social and cognitive construction of risk turns out to be a requirement for the identification and implementation of adequate strategies for risk awareness and preparedness and hence for reducing vulnerability of communities exposed to hazards. As risk perception has not been yet taken into account as a baseline for delineating strategies for disaster prevention in México, in this paper, attention is paid to the relationships among the different realms of landslide risk perception—as a function of hazard exposure, experiences and commitment to disaster risk reduction—so that outcomes can be incorporated into future risk management agendas. This approach was applied in Teziutlán, Puebla, a municipality historically affected by mass movement processes. The findings of this research provide significant evidence to argue that previous experience and exposure to risk affect the perception of people and also influence the patterns associated with preventive and coping actions. Identifying specific characteristics of population segments within the context of risk perception is useful for tailoring public policies, mitigation strategies and integrated disaster risk reduction efforts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albalá-Bertrand JM (1993) Political economy of large natural disasters: with special reference to developing countries. Oxford University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Alcántara-Ayala I (2002) Geomorphology, natural hazards, vulnerability and prevention of natural disasters in developing countries. Geomorphology 47:107–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alcántara-Ayala I (2004a) Flowing mountains in Mexico: incorporating local knowledge and initiatives to confront disaster and promote prevention. Mt Res Dev 24:10–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alcántara-Ayala I (2004b) Hazard assessment of rainfall induced landsliding in Mexico. Geomorphology 61:19–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alcántara-Ayala I (2008) On the historical account of disastrous landslides in Mexico: the challenge of risk management and disaster prevention. Adv Geosci 14:159–164 ISSN 1680-7340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alcántara-Ayala I, Garnica RJ (2013) Landslide monitoring and warning systems in Mexico. In: Sassa K (ed) Landslides: global risk preparedness, international consortium on landslides. Springer, Germany, pp 299–314

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Alcántara-Ayala I, Oliver-Smith A (2015) The necessity of early warning articulated systems (EWASs): critical issues beyond response. In: Sudmeier-Rieux K, Fernandez M, Penna I, Jaboyedoff M, Gaillard JC (eds) Linking sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and migration. Springer, Berlin (in press)

  • Alcántara-Ayala I, Altan O, Baker D, Briceño S, Cutter S, Gupta H, Holloway A, Ismail-Zadeh A, Jiménez Díaz V, Johnston D, McBean G, Ogawa Y, Paton D, Porio E, Silbereisen R, Takeuchi K, Valsecchi G, Vogel C, Wu G, Zhai P (2015) Disaster risks research and assessment to promote risk reduction and management. In: Ismail-Zadeh A, Cutter S (eds) ICSU-ISSC ad hoc group on disaster risk assessment. Paris. http://www.icsu.org/science-for-policy/disaster-risk/documents/DRRsynthesisPaper_2015.pdf

  • Bachri S, Stötter J, Monreal M, Sartohadi J (2015) The calamity of eruptions, or an eruption of benefits? Mt. Bromo human–volcano system a case study of an open-risk perception. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 15:277–290. doi:10.5194/nhess-15-277-2015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird DK, Gísladóttir G (2012) Residents’ attitudes and behaviour before and after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruptions—a case study from southern Iceland. Bull Volcanol 74(6):1263–1279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birkholz S, Muro M, Jeffrey P, Smith HM (2014) Rethinking the relationship between flood risk perception and flood management. Sci Total Environ 478:12–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birkmann J (ed) (2006) Measuring vulnerability to natural hazards: towards disaster resilient societies. United Nations University Press, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Bitrán D, Reyes C (2000) Evaluación del impacto económico de las inundaciones ocurridas en octubre de 1999 en el estado de Puebla. In: Bitrán D (ed) Evaluación del impacto socioeconómico de los principales desastres naturales ocurridos en la República Mexicana durante 1999. Cuadernos de Investigación 50. CENAPRED, México, pp 161–194

  • Bjønness IM (1986) Mountain hazard perception and risk-avoiding strategies among the Sherpas of KhumbuHimal, Nepal. Mt Res Dev 6(4):277–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blaikie P, Cannon T, Davis I, Wisner B (1994) At risk: natural hazards, people’s vulnerability, and disasters. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton I (1997) Vulnerability and adaptive responses in the context of climate and climate change. Clim Change 36:185–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton I, Kates RW (1964) The perception of natural hazards in resource management. Nat Resour J III(3):412–441

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton I, Kates RW, White GF (1978) The environment as hazard. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannon T (1993) A hazard need not a disaster make: vulnerability and the causes of ‘natural’ disasters. In: Merriman PA, Browitt CWA (eds) Natural disasters: protecting vulnerable communities. Thomas Telford, London, pp 92–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannon T (1994) Vulnerability analysis and the explanation of natural disasters. In: Varley A (ed) Disasters development and environment. Wiley, Chichester, pp 13–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutter SL (1993) Living with risk. Edward Arnold, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutter SL (1996) Vulnerability to environmental hazards. Prog Hum Geogr 20(4):529–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutter SL, Ismail-Zadeh A, Alcántara-Ayala I, Altan O, Baker DN, Briceño S, Gupta H, Holloway A, Johnston D, McBean GA, Ogawa Y, Paton D, Porio E, Silbereisen RK, Takeuchi K, Valsecchi GB, Vogel C, Wu G (2015) Global risks: pool knowledge to stem losses from disasters. Nature 522:277–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damm A, Eberhard K, Sendzimir J, Patt A (2013) Perception of landslides risk and responsibility: a case study in eastern Styria, Austria. Nat Hazards 69(1):165–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz T, Stern PC, Guangano GA (1998) Social structural and social psychological bases of environmental concern. Environ Behav 30(4):450–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dillard A, McCaul W, Klein W (2006) Unrealistic optimism in smokers: implications for smoking myth endorsement and self-protective motivation. J Health Commun 11:93–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finlay PJ, Fell R (1997) Landslides: risk perception and acceptance. Can Geotech J 34(2):169–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goleman D (1985) La Psicología del Autoengaño. Buenos Aires, Paidós

    Google Scholar 

  • Grothmann T, Reusswig F (2006) People at risk of flooding: why some residents take precautionary action while others do not. Nat Hazards 38(1–2):101–120. doi:10.1007/s11069-005-8604-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gurung SM (1989) Human perception of mountain hazards in the Kakani–Kathmandu area: Experiences from the middle mountains of Nepal. Mt Res Dev 9(4):353–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern-Felsher BL, Millstein SG, Ellen JM, Adler NE, Tschann JM, Biehl M (2001) The role of behavioral experience in judging risks. Health Psychol 20(2):120–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helweg-Larsen M (1999) (The lack of) optimistic biases in response on the Northridge earthquake: the role of personal experience. Basic Appl Soc Psychol 21:19–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt K, Burton I (1971) The hazardousness of a place: a regional ecology of damaging events. Department of Geography Research publication 6. University of Toronto, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyogo Framework for Action (2005) http://www.unisdr.org/2005/wcdr/intergover/official-doc/L-docs/Hyogo-framework-for-action-english.pdf

  • IPCC (2012) Managing the risks of extreme events and disasters to advance climate change adaptation. In: Field CB, Barros V, Stocker TF, Qin D, Dokken DJ, Ebi KL, Mastrandrea MD, Mach KJ, Plattner GK, Allen SK, Tignor M, Midgley PM (eds) A special report of working Groups I and II of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson BP (1993) Advancing understanding of knowledge’s role in lay risk perception. Risk—Issues Health Saf 4:189–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones EC, Faas AJ, Murphy AD, Tobin GA, Whiteford LM, McCArty C (2013) Cross-cultural and site-based influences on demographic, well-being, and social network predictors of risk perception in hazard and disaster settings in Ecuador and Mexico. Hum Nat 24:5–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kellens W, Zaalberg R, Neutens T, Vanneuville W, De Maeyer P (2011) An analysis of the public perception of flood risk on the Belgian coast. Risk Anal 31(7):1055–1068

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levitt JI, Whitaker MC (2009) Introduction: “Truth Crushed to Earth Will Rise Again”: Katrina and its aftermath. In: Levitt JI (ed) Hurricane Katrina, America’s unnatural disaster. University of Nebraska Press, USA, pp 1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin S, Shaw D, Ho MC (2008) Why are flood and landslide victims less willing to take mitigation measures than the public? Nat Hazards 44(2):305–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • López-Vázquez E (2009) Risk perception and coping strategies for risk from Popocatepetl volcano, Mexico. Geofís Int 48(1):133–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Masozera M, Bailey M, Kerchner C (2007) Distribution of impacts of natural disasters across income groups: a case study of New Orleans. Ecol Econ 63:299–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDaniels TL (1998) Ten propositions for untangling descriptive and prescriptive lessons in risk perception findings. Reliab Eng Syst Saf 59:129–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin P, Dietz T (2008) Structure, agency and environment: toward an integrated perspective on vulnerability. Glob Environ Change 18(1):99–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mei ETW, Lavigne F, Picquout A, De Bélizal E, Brunstein D, Grancher D, Sartohadi J, Cholik N, Vidal C (2013) Lessons learned from the 2010 evacuations at Merapi volcano. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 261:342–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendoza MJ, Noriega I, Domínguez L (2000) Deslizamientos de laderas en Teziutlán, Pue., provocados por las lluvias intensas de octubre de 1999. SEGOB, CENAPRED, México

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng B, Liu M, Liufu HY, Wang W (2013) Risk perceptions combining spatial multi-criteria analysis in land-use type of Huainan city. Saf Sci 51(1):361–373

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mileti DS (1999) Disasters by design: a reassessment of natural hazards in the United States, natural hazards and disasters. Joseph Henry Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Mimura N, Yasuhara K, Kawagone S, Yokoki H, Kazama S (2011) Damage from the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami—a quick report. Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change 16(7):803–818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz DM, Romero A (2013) Los riesgos naturales y su percepción en el municipio de Mazarrón (Murcia). Papeles de geografía 57:179–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Nathan F (2008) Risk perception, risk management and vulnerability to landslides in the hill slopes in the city of La Paz, Bolivia. A preliminary statement. Disasters 32(3):337–357. doi:10.1111/j.0361-3666.2008.01043.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver-Smith A (1999) What is a disaster? Anthropological perspectives on a persistent question. In: Oliver-Smith A, Hoffman SM (eds) The angry Earth: disaster in anthropological perspective. Routledge, New York, pp 18–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliver-Smith A (2006) Disasters and forced migration in the 21st century. http://understandingkatrina.ssrc.org/Oliver-Smith/. 15 June 2008

  • Pelling M (2003) The vulnerability of cities: natural disasters and social resilience. Earthscan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Pidgeon N (1998) Risk assessment, risk values and the social science programme: why we do need risk perception research. Reliab Eng Syst Saf 59:5–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pilgrim NK (1999) Landslides, risk and decision-making in Kinnaur District: bridging the gap between science and public opinion. Disasters 23(1):45–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renn O (1998) The role of risk perception for risk management. Reliab Eng Syst Saf 59:49–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rico AM, Hernández M, Olcina J, Martínez E (2010) Percepción del riesgo de inundaciones en municipios litorales alicantinos: ¿aumento de la vulnerabilidad? Papeles de geografía 51:245–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosa EA (1998) Metatheoretical foundations for post-normal risk. J Risk Res 1:15–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saurí D, Ribas A, Lara A, Pavón D (2010) La percepción del riesgo de inundación: experiencias de aprendizaje en la Costa Brava. Papeles de Geografía 51:269–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjöberg L (2000) Perceived risk and tampering with nature. J Risk Res 3(4):353–367. doi:10.1080/13669870050132568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slovic P (1987) Perception of risk. Science 236:280–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slovic P, Weber EU (2002) Perception of risk posed by extreme events. In: The conference on risk management strategies in an uncertain world held in April 12–13, Palisades, New York

  • Slovic P, Fischhoff B, Lichtenstein S (1982) Why study risk perception? Risk Anal 2(2):83–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slovic P, Finucane ML, Peters E, MacGregor DG (2004) Risk as analysis and risk as feelings: Some thoughts about affect, reason, risk, and rationality. Risk Anal 24(2):311–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Solana MC, Kilburn CR (2003) Public awareness of landslide hazards: the Barranco deTirajana, Gran Canaria, Spain. Geomorphology 54(1):39–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spittal MJ, McClure J, Siegert RJ, Walkey FH (2005) Optimistic bias in relation to preparedness for earthquakes. Australas J Disaster Trauma Stud 1:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Takeuchi K, Chavoshian A (2011) Quick report of Great Eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami (As of 22 April 2011). International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management, ICHARM-UNESCO, Tsukuba, Japan, pp 305–8516. http://www.iwra.org/doc/Tsunami_report_Kuniyoshi_Takeuchi_ICHARM.pdf

  • Tobin GA, Montz BE (1997) Natural hazards: explanation and integration. The Guilford Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Tobin GA, Whiteford LM, Jones EC, Murphy AD, Garren SJ, Padros CV (2011) The role of individual well-being in risk perception and evacuation for chronic vs. acute natural hazards in Mexico. Appl Geogr 31(2):700–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tversky A, Kahneman D (1982) Availability: a heuristic for judging frequency and probability. In: Kahneman D, Slovic P, Tversky A (eds) Judgment under uncertainty: heuristics and biases. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 163–189

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • UNISDR (2004) Living with risk: a global review of disaster reduction initiatives, 2 vols. United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. United Nations, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • UNISDR (2009) Terminology on disaster risk reduction. www.unisdr.org/eng/terminology/UNISDR-terminology-2009-eng.pdf

  • UNISDR (2011) Global assessment report on disaster risk reduction 2011, revealing risk, redefining development. http://www.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/2011/en/home/download.html

  • UNISDR (2012) Impacts of disasters since the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit Impacts of Disasters since the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. http://www.unisdr.org/files/27162_infographic.pdf

  • UNISDR (2013) Global assessment report on disaster risk reduction. UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Geneva. http://www.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/2013/en/gar-pdf

  • UNISDR (2015) Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Geneva. http://www.preventionweb.net/files/43291_sendaiframeworkfordrren.pdf

  • Van Der Veen A, Logtmeijer C (2005) Economic hotspots: visualizing vulnerability to flooding. Nat Hazards 36(1–2):65–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Manen SM (2014) Hazard and risk perception at Turrialba volcano (Costa Rica) implications for disaster risk management. Appl Geogr 50:63–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vlek CA (1996) A multi-level, multi-stage and multi-attribute perspective on risk assessment, decision-making, and risk control. Risk Decis Policy 1(1):9–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner K (2007) Mental models of flash floods and landslides. Risk Anal 27:671–682. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6924.2007.00916.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weinstein ND (1980) Unrealistic optimism about future life events. J Pers Soc Psychol 39(5):806–820

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weinstein ND (1989) Optimistic biases about personal risks. Science 246:1232–1233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White GF (1973) Natural hazards research. In: Chorley RJ (ed) Directions in geography. Methuen, London, pp 193–216

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank CONACyT for the financial support kindly provided through the research project 156242. Thanks are due to Ricardo J. Garnica-Peña, for his collaboration in the preparation of some figures. We would also like to show our gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on an earlier version of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3004, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Coyoacán, Mexico, D.F., Mexico

    Karina Landeros-Mugica & Javier Urbina-Soria

  2. Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Coyoacán, Mexico, D.F., Mexico

    Irasema Alcántara-Ayala

Authors
  1. Karina Landeros-Mugica
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Javier Urbina-Soria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Irasema Alcántara-Ayala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irasema Alcántara-Ayala.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Landeros-Mugica, K., Urbina-Soria, J. & Alcántara-Ayala, I. The good, the bad and the ugly: on the interactions among experience, exposure and commitment with reference to landslide risk perception in México. Nat Hazards 80, 1515–1537 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-2037-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-015-2037-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation