The influence of disaster experience on citizen perceptions and public spending priorities

Abstract

This study examines the dynamics of citizens' policy attitudes for the allocation of public resources for natural disaster prevention and response, with a focus on the role of experience with extreme environmental events and perceived probability of future events. Through a nationally representative survey currently underway in three US states (California, New York, and Texas), we investigate the influence of geographic and emotional proximity to extreme events in shaping relevant preferences. The preliminary analysis of the first two waves of the study suggests that individuals prioritise resource allocation towards recently experienced shocks, and that this prioritization is not driven by subjective disaster risk assessment alone. This suggests people's potential to prioritise policy actions designed to address climate change when its effects are particularly salient.