The driving mechanism of citizens’ protective behaviors for rainstorm flood disasters in China: An empirical study based on the protection motivation theory and protective action decision model

• Published in: Heliyon 2024-11, Vol.10 (22), p.e38482, Article e38482
• Main Authors: Wu, Qunying, Li, Rui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Non-protective behavior; Protection motivation theory; Protective action decision model; Protective behavior; Rainstorm floods
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38482

Rainstorm floods have become a high-impact natural disaster and are expected to become more extreme shortly, seriously threatening human safety. Although the government issues timely and precise rainstorm flood warning information, citizens remain indifferent and engage in maladaptive behavior. Therefore, understanding the relationship between emergency information, psychological cognition, individual characteristics, and protective behavior is crucial for effective risk information communication and evacuation guidance. This study utilizes the protection motivation theory (PMT) and protective action decision model (PADM) to develop a structural equation model (SEM) that evaluates the factors driving both protective and non-protective behaviors of individuals to rainstorm flood disasters. The findings indicate that the disaster experience and emergency information received significantly shape how individuals perceive risks, their ability to manage them, and who should be accountable for the disaster. The findings further indicate that how people view their ability to handle a risk situation (perceived coping ability) and who they think is responsible for the situation (perceived attribution of responsibility) directly influence whether they will take protective behaviors. Based on these results, this study puts forward policy recommendations for emergency information release strategies to enhance citizens' willingness to adopt protective behaviors.