Exploring the Interplay Between Threat Appraisal, Efficacy Appraisal, and Behavior Change During a “Once-in-a-Lifetime” Storm

Abstract

In 2022, Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Atlantic Canada, causing widespread destruction across the region. The storm provided the opportunity to test the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), which predicts that warning messages influence threat appraisal and efficacy appraisal, and in turn influence whether individuals engage in fear control processes or danger-control processes. To do so, a questionnaire was disseminated to residents of Atlantic Canada (n=582) approximately two weeks after the storm. The results find that respondents generally fell in one of two protective action classes: low protective action and high protective action. Efficacy appraisal had no effect on whether or which actions respondents took during the storm. In contrast, anxiety and information seeking were both found to be significant. The results seemingly contradict previous research on fear appeals guided by the EPPM. In our conclusion, we speculate on why this may be and recommend several opportunities for future research.