Exploring couples’ information-seeking behaviors when faced with a rare tornado threat

This study explores household tornado information-seeking behaviors, with an emphasis on the role of social and household contexts, particularly interactions between couples. Despite extensive research on tornado threats and warnings, limited studies have examined how households seek information in response to tornado warnings, especially in low-risk areas. This issue has become more relevant following the National Weather Service’s shift from county-based to polygon-based warnings. To address this gap, 68 couples from the Seattle metropolitan area—an area with low tornado risk—were recruited for a social experiment involving an escalating tornado scenario, with five levels of threat alerts. The couples were randomly assigned to two groups: 33 couples were separated and assigned to the individual task group, while the remaining 35 couples participated together in the joint task group. This yielded a total of 101 participants (33 individual females, 33 individual males, and 35 couples). The study utilized a web-based program, DynaSearch, to present the scenario and collect data on participants’ interactions with different types of visual and textual information. Results indicated a preference for textual information, such as protective action recommendations, hazards, and storm location, over tornado risk maps. Social context was found to significantly influence information-seeking behaviors, with couples spending more time viewing information together compared to individuals. These findings provide valuable insights into information preferences and the influence of social dynamics on decision-making, particularly in low-risk areas. The study’s results offer guidance for enhancing tornado risk communication strategies, especially for households in low-risk regions.