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Who Says I Should Leave? Factors Determining The Decision To Leave Home During Disasters, Vondragas J. Smalley

Honors Theses

In an effort to minimize casualties during natural catastrophes, specifically hurricanes, researchers have found that risk perception, socioeconomic status, and past evacuation experience are important determinants in evacuation behavior. This study argues that these factors as well as race are important determinants in the decision of individuals to evacuate in the face of natural disasters. My investigation employs chi-square analysis and cross tabulation to determine the importance of these factors. The findings indicate that these hypotheses may impact the decision of residents to evacuate in the face of natural disasters and warrant further study by those doing evacuation behavior research.