Differences Between Spontaneous and Exogenous Preparedness: A Study on the Stock of Household Emergency Material during the COVID-19 in China

Household emergency material preparedness is an important component in risk management and crisis response. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, people are increasingly aware of the need for families to reserve emergency materials. The Chinese government has also called on residents to reserve basic emergency supplies to adapt to changes in emergencies. Based on the theoretical framework of the protective action decision model, this study investigated 897 respondents in the Chinese mainland area to assess the determinants of Chinese residents' emergency material preparedness, distinguishing between spontaneous and exogenous emergency material preparedness. The results showed that: (1) The spontaneous emergency material preparedness was mainly influenced by perceived behavioral efficacy, perceived behavioral cost, and perceived personal protection responsibility. (2) The exogenous emergency material preparedness was mainly influenced by COVID-19 risk perception, perceived behavioral efficacy, and trust in government. (3) Perceived behavioral efficacy played a mediating role in risk perception between the two types of preparedness behaviors investigated. These results can help the Chinese government improve communication aimed to foster household preparedness during a crisis.