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Little is known about how place attachment affects natural hazard risk perception and coping. A systematic search of social science databases revealed 31 works (1996–2016) that directly address place attachment in relation to natural hazard risk or natural environmental risks (seismic, volcanic, etc.). Across different contexts, the research shows: (a) both positive and negative relations between place attachment and natural environmental risk perception; (b) both positive and negative relations between place attachment and risk coping; and (c) mediating and moderating relations. In particular, results show that: (a) strongly attached individuals perceive natural environmental risks but underestimate their potential effects; (b) strongly attached individuals are unwilling to relocate when facing natural environmental risks and are more likely to return to risky areas after a natural environmental disaster; (c) place attachment acts both as a mediating and moderating variable between risk perception and coping. Place attachment should play a more significant role in natural hazard risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost all the studies about place attachment in environmental risk contexts only consider the role of place attachment to home or local area. However, especially when it comes to risks requiring evacuation from home and local area, it is likely that place attachment to evacuation sites, if any, becomes relevant too. The present studies intend to understand how place attachment to evacuation sites affects coping behaviors in natural hazard contexts. A first study (N = 184) investigates how place attachment predicts intention to evacuate on the tsunami-prone Chilean coast. Evacuation site place attachment is found to improve intention to evacuate prediction, after controlling for the traditional cognitive antecedents of intention to evacuate. Two experimental studies subsequently test the role of evacuation site place attachment in imaginary environmental risk contexts. The second study (N = 115) finds that participants would rather go to an affectively significant evacuation site rather than to anon-affectively significant one, when asked to choose. The third study (N = 81) finds an effect of evacuation site place attachment on intention to evacuate. It is concluded that evacuation site place attachment could play a relevant role in time of evacuation Theoretical and practical implications for policy making are discussed, as well as the need for further studies. • How does place attachment to evacuation sites (EPA) affect coping to natural hazard? • Study 1 provides correlation evidence that EPA increases intention of evacuation in a real risk context. • Study 2 provides experimental evidence that EPA affects evacuation site choice. • Study 3 provided experimental evidence that EPA increases intention of evacuation. • Place attachment role in coping behaviors should be considered for theories and for policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]