concept of hazards

• factors that make people percieve hazards differently

  wealth

  • education
  • past experience
  • personality
  • religion
• perception of hazards : wealth

  richer people may be able to afford to move to less hazard prone areas , can afford to build their homes to withstand hazards

  • percieve risk as smaller
• perception of hazards : religion

  some view hazards as acts of God, sent to punish people
• perception of hazards : personality

  some people fear hazards , other think of them as exciting
• perception of hazards : past experience

  • people who live in hazard prone areas may have experienced hazards
  • affects their percieved risk of future hazards
• perception of hazards : education

  people with more education = better understanding of hazard risk , may believe they're able to reduce risks or mitigation impacts
• how does weaker building materials make people fear hazards less?

  lighter and won't crush people - cost of reconstruction is low
• examples of religion affecting hazard perception

  God = protect people

  Pompeii - act of revenge from God

  Hawaii - offering of flowers and leaves made to keep Volcano goddess Pelee happy , hope lava won't go over line of leaves outside their homes

  Sicily - volcano = God
• how does beliefs in science affect hazard perception?

  residents and tourists in St Vincent trust in science to keep them safe on their beautiful island - La Soufriere Volcano is carefully monitored
• resilience


  being able to cope with challenges the environment presents