Decision-making profiles in couples preparing for long-term bushfire events
Creators: name: CADEDDU, Dana
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 440599
subject: Gender studies not elsewhere classified
classificationCode: 441016
subject: Urban sociology and community studies

description: In the last few decades, bushfires have increased in number and intensity worldwide, posing augmented threats to the environment, people, properties, and livestock. Due to its ecosystem, extreme weather conditions, and the increased growth in population at the rural-urban interface, Australia is one of the most fire-impacted territories on the planet. The chances that Australia will have to face another catastrophic event in the future are extremely high and thus communities and householders are encouraged to be better prepared. Nonetheless, research reports a general lack of preparedness, which results in residents from areas at high risk of bushfire to rely on poor and last-minute decisions. To minimise loss of lives and properties in future catastrophic bushfires, there is an urgent need to examine and address this lack of bushfire survival planning by households in bushfire-prone locations.

For years, households¿ bushfire preparedness has been investigated mostly at an individual level, even though most households are composed of families, and particularly, by couple relationships. The aim of this thesis is to identify cognitive and relational processes and factors that influence survival-related decision-making of individuals forming a long-term bushfire plan. In particular, the thesis focuses on heterosexual couples in relationships.

This thesis adopts a sequential mixed method design to investigate the central research question: What kinds of decision-making processes and dynamics are found in and sustain long-term planning and preparation in members of couples from Australian communities at risk of bushfire? The qualitative Study 1 consisted of an analysis of reported bushfire safety decision-making by couples who were impacted by the Lake Clifton fires (WA). The study investigated bushfire risk perception and risk awareness, gender role arrangements, and relational dynamics within the dyad. The quantitative Study 2 was informed by and extended the insights generated by Study 1. The study involved a survey of residents from two districts of Victoria, at the fringe of metropolitan Melbourne. The focus of the investigation was on individuals¿ decision-making styles, attachment styles, gender role preferences, and dyadic adjustment.

Study 1 found a high level of awareness of the risks that bushfires pose to the area. However, such awareness did not necessarily translate into prepared couples and so preparedness was still inadequate. This led to the conclusion that risk awareness does not have a straightforward effect on preparedness and that its effect might be largely mediated by other factors. In Study 1, these factors included risk concern, acceptance and risk denial. Study 1 also identified that division of roles within the couple concerning bushfire tasks was based on implicit household rules. The analysis also identified that these implicit dynamics often led to disagreements and resentments between partners.

Study 2 hypothesised that prepared couples are those with superior cognitive and relational characteristics. Results confirmed that respondents who adopt a rational style when making safety-related decisions and who have more modern gender relationships are more prepared for bushfires. The hypothesised differences in preparedness with respect to secure adult attachment and marital happiness were not supported.

Results from both studies led to the identification of three kinds of decision-making processes and dynamics that are found and sustain long-term planning and preparation in members of couples from Australian communities at risk of bushfires. Cognitively, prepared residents are rational decision-makers, while relationally they show a modern approach to gender role preferences. Prepared residents are also motivated to explicitly share their bushfire-related objectives or desires, and create opportunities to openly discuss these matters well ahead of the bushfire season.

This thesis contributes to the bushfire literature by investigating unexplored and more effective factors of the individual and their relationships, which are able to explain differences in bushfire preparedness. By addressing the lack of disaster research into individuals and their family contexts, this thesis establishes that the interaction between cognition and relational influences can affect how residents approach bushfire safety-related decisions. Moreover, results from this thesis have important implications for programs aimed at increasing preparedness in at-risk communities. By identifying the cognitive and relational processes that lead to preparedness, this thesis fills a crucial gap in the field to inform the development of more targeted disaster preparedness education campaigns and emergency management interventions. Recommendations for effective bushfire preparation programs on how to face possible future disasters can be more tailored and effective. This is because, going forward, such recommendations can be based on the way residents tend to think of bushfires and behave towards them, rather than on expectations on how they should behave in such events.