A Study for RISK Communication Plans in a DISASTER Situation

Abstract

In today's modern society, risk applies to all people regardless of their social positions. Faced by a risk, the general public is exposed to various pieces of information about the risk intentionally or unintentionally and deals with it in various ways according to the risk information including eliminating and avoiding it. In a disaster situation, it is the best option to deliver the risk information to the general public in a fast and accurate manner, thus minimizing additional risky situations and preventing social confusion. This study thus set out to search for risk communication plans for the government agencies to deliver the right risk information to the general public in an effective manner in a disaster situation by examining theories about risk communication and information. First, it is critical to provide the accurate information as fast as possible in a disaster situation. When inaccurate information is provided fast, it can have adverse effects on the risk management of general public, which means that a focus should be placed on accuracy rather than speed. In a disaster situation, people first get disaster information through various sources and develop a prejudice against risk based on the primary risk information that they are exposed to. Their prejudices are under the easy influence of past experiences, reference groups, and pioneers and their opinions regardless of risk. Second, it is necessary to manage information thoroughly when a warning message is delivered to the public in a disaster situation. Thorough management is required for warning messages spread via the press, Internet, and SNS. It also found that they would accept the information of warning messages regardless of their reliability, thus implying that rumor-like information with uncertain sources and grounds could result in huge social ramifications. Third, it is important to inform the general public of methods to cope with and manage a risk in a disaster situation through prognostic framing in case of risk communication so that their perception(anxiety) of objective and subjective risk can be put to rest. when risk communication continued to provide information through diagnostic framing, individuals would have excessive risk and anxiety awareness and thus cause a social amplification. It is important to inform the general public of methods to cope with and manage a risk in a disaster situation through prognostic framing so that their perception(anxiety) of objective and subjective risk can be put to rest. Finally, risk information should be delivered in a concise manner with a focus on the core content. When exposed to excessive information, common people get to experience fatigue about information and therefore undergo a judgment heuristic process to avoid useful information consciously. It is thus critical to deliver useful information to the general public in a concise manner. When the general public deals with a risk in a proper fashion through effective risk communication, it can generate various positive effects including the reduced social confusion, cost savings, and image improvement as well as safe personal life.