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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Risk Analysis

Virtual Flood Experience Enhances Preparedness Through Emotional and Neural Engagement

  • Toshio Fujimi1
  • Takanori Kochiyama2
  • Wataru Sato3
  • Masahide Watanabe4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Disaster Prevention Research Institute Kyoto University Uji Kyoto Japan
  2. 2Brain Activity Imaging Center ATR‐Promotions Seika‐cho, Soraku‐gun Kyoto Japan
  3. 3Guardian Robot Project RIKEN Seika‐cho, Soraku‐gun Kyoto Japan
  4. 4Faculty of Economics Ryukoku University Fushimi‑ku Kyoto Japan
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Abstract

As climate change intensifies flood risks, strengthening individual preparedness is essential for sustainable societies. This study tested whether first‐person three‐dimensional computer graphics (3DCG) flood videos can complement official flood maps in motivating preparedness. We used these materials as operationalizations of experiential and descriptive information, respectively. In a preregistered web experiment with 1000 participants, those who viewed flood videos showed a small but statistically significant increase in preparedness intentions compared with those who viewed flood maps. Mediation analyses showed that, among the measured psychological variables, only fear had a significant indirect effect, suggesting that stimulus‐evoked fear helped explain this increase. We also conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with 45 participants using a within‐subjects design. Flood videos elicited greater right amygdala activation than flood maps, consistent with fear‐related processing. Together, these findings provide convergent behavioral and neural evidence that first‐person 3DCG flood videos evoke stronger fear‐related responses than flood maps and that subjective fear helps account for their effect on preparedness intentions. The results suggest that visually vivid flood videos may complement map‐based communication by increasing emotional salience and promoting flood‐preparedness intentions.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{fujimi2026virtual,
  title = {{Virtual Flood Experience Enhances Preparedness Through Emotional and Neural Engagement}},
  author = {Toshio Fujimi and Takanori Kochiyama and Wataru Sato and Masahide Watanabe},
  journal = {Risk Analysis},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.1111/risa.70407},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.70407},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Virtual Flood Experience Enhances Preparedness Through Emotional and Neural Engagement
AU  - Toshio Fujimi
AU  - Takanori Kochiyama
AU  - Wataru Sato
AU  - Masahide Watanabe
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/04
JO  - Risk Analysis
DO  - 10.1111/risa.70407
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.70407
AB  - As climate change intensifies flood risks, strengthening individual preparedness is essential for sustainable societies. This study tested whether first‐person three‐dimensional computer graphics (3DCG) flood videos can complement official flood maps in motivating preparedness. We used these materials as operationalizations of experiential and descriptive information, respectively. In a preregistered web experiment with 1000 participants, those who viewed flood videos showed a small but statistically significant increase in preparedness intentions compared with those who viewed flood maps. Mediation analyses showed that, among the measured psychological variables, only fear had a significant indirect effect, suggesting that stimulus‐evoked fear helped explain this increase. We also conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with 45 participants using a within‐subjects design. Flood videos elicited greater right amygdala activation than flood maps, consistent with fear‐related processing. Together, these findings provide convergent behavioral and neural evidence that first‐person 3DCG flood videos evoke stronger fear‐related responses than flood maps and that subjective fear helps account for their effect on preparedness intentions. The results suggest that visually vivid flood videos may complement map‐based communication by increasing emotional salience and promoting flood‐preparedness intentions.
SN  - 0272-4332
SN  - 1539-6924
ER  -