Voluntary associations and hazard preparedness behaviour amongst Taiwanese individuals

ABSTRACT This study examined how Taiwanese individuals’ preparedness behaviours regarding natural hazards are linked to their social connections and to their direct/indirect exposure to previous natural hazards. Using 2013 Taiwan Social Change Survey data, this study investigated how the respondents’ membership in voluntary associations, damage experience caused by previous hazards, and perceived risk of potential hazards affect their adoption of hazard preparedness behaviours. The study distinguished three types of associations—civic, reward-based, and social/recreational—and three types of damage from natural hazards—property loss, psychological trauma, and injury—to determine whether they have different effects on the adoption of hazard preparedness behaviours. The results of this study indicate that the members of voluntary associations were more prepared for natural hazards than non-members; the members of civic and reward-based associations tended to take significantly more preparedness measures than non-members, whereas the members of social/recreational associations did not. In particular, the members of reward-based associations were likely to initiate their first preparation measures. Meanwhile, both damage experience and risk perception showed positive effects on the adoption of preparedness behaviours, but these effects were stronger for typhoons than for earthquakes.