Risk Anal. 2026 Mar;46(3):e70213. doi: 10.1111/risa.70213.
ABSTRACT
People’s risk perceptions are crucial for climate change adaptation, influencing individual decisions and policy effectiveness. Although many studies highlight the importance of social influences and social norms in this context, the mechanisms through which they shape individual risk perceptions and adaptation behavior remain unclear. To address this gap, we analyze cross-country survey data (N = 1612) from coastal areas in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the USA with a focus on flood risk and adaptation behavior. Our statistical analysis reveals several important patterns in social interactions, and the ways in which these social interactions influence individual risk perceptions. First, we find limited social engagement regarding risks and adaptation, with a significant portion of respondents (50%) reporting no interactions with peers on these topics. Among those who do engage, social interactions on flood risk and adaptation appear infrequent (fewer than five times per year). Second, contrary to common assumptions, individuals who discuss flood risk and adaptation, rarely do so with neighbors. Moreover, homophily-shared socio-demographic characteristics-is not the primary determinant of who interacts on the topic. Third, we see that those with hazard experience and those with higher risk perceptions are more likely to interact with others on the topics of these risks and climate adaptation, confirming that social amplifications might be in place. These findings provide unique insights into the social dynamics underlying the evolution of individual risk perceptions, offering the potential to refine models of social influence in climate change and social tipping points. They also highlight potential synergies between communication strategies and policy tools to support timely and, possibly transformational, adaptation.
PMID:41766472 | DOI:10.1111/risa.70213
