Changing weather patterns have led to an increase in the frequency of tornadoes in the socially vulnerable southeast United States. This is concerning to manufactured and mobile homeowners, as these structures are highly vulnerable to tornado impacts. In recent years, the installation of ground anchors on manufactured and mobile homes (MMHs) has emerged as a strategy to mitigate against risks posed by tornadoes and high winds. Although these systems decrease horizontal movement and rollover potential in an MMH, they are not uniformly used throughout the region. This study uses protective motivation theory (PMT) to investigate perceptions of ground anchors among MMH owners. Specifically, this research identifies types of knowledge and experience salient in the context of anchoring and describes the factors that inform residents' threat and coping appraisals in weighing the decision to anchor their MMH. Results showed that participants' previous direct and indirect experience with wind hazard events, coupled with impacts from direct and indirect damage were most salient to anchoring decisions. The experience of psychological trauma from severe weather played a secondary contributing role. Furthermore, among the factors theorized to shape MMH owners' threat and coping appraisals, results showed that hazard severity, vulnerability, and anchoring response cost were most prominently discussed in considering whether to install an anchoring system. Findings from this study could improve the design of educational campaigns about tornado resilience and MMH anchoring.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc2356245 |
| Date | 07 1900 |
| Creators | Kelly, Ruxton Samuel |
| Contributors | Schumann, Ronald, Siebeneck, Laura, Wu, Hao-Che |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | Text |
| Rights | Public, Kelly, Ruxton Samuel, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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