Preoccupation and affect as predictors of protective action following natural disaster

The actions taken by individuals after natural disasters to prepare for fut ure disasters were studied to see whether theories of self-protective actio n are missing important variables. Residents of three communities struck by severe tornadoes who did not. experience damage or injury (N = 715) were i nterviewed shortly after the tornadoes and again 14 months later. Initial r esponses to the tornadoes and details of the tornado experience were used t o predict precautions reported at the initial and follow-up interviews. Pre occupation with tornadoes strongly predicted action independent of affect, perceived risk, and perceived control. Recollections of fear felt during th e tornado end negative affect when thinking about tornadoes were also relat ed to action: both negative affect and high fear (if combined with preoccup ation) were associated with less action in the initial period following the tornadoes. Our findings suggest that the conceptualization of action as re flecting a decision about the expected costs and benefits of action is inad equate and that theories of self-protective behaviour need to include measu res of preoccupation and affect as well.