Cultural worldviews and the perception of natural hazard risk in Australia

ABSTRACT The cultural theory of risk proposes that risk perception is biased by sociality and the maintenance of four ways or life, or cultural worldviews: hierarchism, egalitarianism, individualism or communitarianism. This study examined whether cultural worldviews influenced the perception of the risk of bushfire, flood, storm and earthquake in Australia. A sample of 503 participants completed two questionnaires: cultural worldviews and natural hazard risk perception. Only 30% of respondents held strongly hierarchical, egalitarian, individualist or communitarian worldviews. Several aspects of natural hazard risk perception were predicted by cultural worldviews, but associations were weak. Individualists perceived greater risk of, and responsibility for, natural hazards possibly because they perceive them to be a disruptive threat that limits freedom. Egalitarians perceived greater risk from bushfire or storm, possibly because they understand the potential for social impacts from these events and favour collective response. Notions of control and mitigation of natural hazards were associated with hierarchism. Communitarianism was not a predictor of natural hazard risk perception. However, most people don’t view natural hazards as a threat to their sociality and way of life. Single heuristics, such as the cultural theory of risk, are unlikely to capture the complexity of natural hazard risk perception in Australia.