Interpretation of message

When different people listen to the same message, there may be a variation in what they hear, leading to different interpretation and response.

Previous experiences

Often people will rely on their previous experiences with the hazard to determine what actions they initially take (or don’t take).

Observations

Individual responses to warnings vary, but most people will seek some form of confirmation. For example, some people will look for more information through environmental cues, while others will seek to contact other trusted sources. Optimism bias (thinking that “disasters happen to other people”) is overcome with confirmation.

Perception of risk/proximity

People tend to make a rapid assessment of the relative safety of their location, producing an emergent perception of risk. If their perception of personal risk is high, people will act quickly. When the perception is low, they will delay acting.