Warning Messages in Crisis Communication Risk Appraisal and Warning Compliance in Severe Weather Violent Acts and the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article describes how demographic characteristics influence a person’s responsiveness and willingness to comply with warning messages related to COVID-19, violent acts, and severe weather events. The authors surveyed 403 German participants and found that older participants were more likely to comply with COVID-19 messaging. For severe weather, age and female gender increased compliance. The authors conclude that sociodemographic factors have some influence on the impact of risk communications, but that more research is needed.