Understanding the Public's Response to Uncertainty through an Interdisciplinary Analysis

In considering how best to relay weather-related information to the public, it is necessary to highlight theoretical frameworks from the social sciences on how people process and respond to uncertainty. More specifically, psychological and sociological theories assist in understanding the responsiveness to uncertainty within the framework of practical communication yielding what we hope is better and more proactive responses from the public. This project examines these issues through an in-depth review and analysis of several theoretical paradigms. Transferring knowledge found in an interdisciplinary review of the literature can lead to the development of impactful communication practices that can lead to the minimization of the impact of threatening weather events.