How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and Italy

Abstract Summer 2023 saw record high temperatures across several European countries with these heat events being unofficially dubbed Cerberus and Charon. This has led to discussion about whether naming severe heat events is an effective way to convey the risks posed. In online experiments with regio...

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Main Authors: Barbara Summers, Andrea Taylor, Pietro Bellomo, Suraje Dessai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-11-01
Series:Meteorological Applications
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/met.70017
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author Barbara Summers
Andrea Taylor
Pietro Bellomo
Suraje Dessai
author_facet Barbara Summers
Andrea Taylor
Pietro Bellomo
Suraje Dessai
author_sort Barbara Summers
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Summer 2023 saw record high temperatures across several European countries with these heat events being unofficially dubbed Cerberus and Charon. This has led to discussion about whether naming severe heat events is an effective way to convey the risks posed. In online experiments with regionally representative sample of members of the public in England and Italy, we assessed the effect of giving a heat event a mythological, non‐mythological or no name on anticipated severity, concern, trust/confidence and behavioural intention. We find that while naming alone does not have a strong effect on anticipated response to severe heat events in either country, going against the established trend of using mythological names in Italy could diminish concern.
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spelling doaj-art-1e99becd3c0348fb9b80c6825cf12dcd2025-08-20T01:57:32ZengWileyMeteorological Applications1350-48271469-80802024-11-01316n/an/a10.1002/met.70017How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and ItalyBarbara Summers0Andrea Taylor1Pietro Bellomo2Suraje Dessai3Centre for Decision Research Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds Leeds UKCentre for Decision Research Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds Leeds UKSchool of Geography University of Leeds Leeds UKSustainability Research Institute, School for Earth and Environment University of Leeds Leeds UKAbstract Summer 2023 saw record high temperatures across several European countries with these heat events being unofficially dubbed Cerberus and Charon. This has led to discussion about whether naming severe heat events is an effective way to convey the risks posed. In online experiments with regionally representative sample of members of the public in England and Italy, we assessed the effect of giving a heat event a mythological, non‐mythological or no name on anticipated severity, concern, trust/confidence and behavioural intention. We find that while naming alone does not have a strong effect on anticipated response to severe heat events in either country, going against the established trend of using mythological names in Italy could diminish concern.https://doi.org/10.1002/met.70017Europeheatwavesweather event namingweather risk communicationweather warnings
spellingShingle Barbara Summers
Andrea Taylor
Pietro Bellomo
Suraje Dessai
How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and Italy
Meteorological Applications
Europe
heatwaves
weather event naming
weather risk communication
weather warnings
title How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and Italy
title_full How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and Italy
title_fullStr How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and Italy
title_full_unstemmed How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and Italy
title_short How concerning is Lucifer? Insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in England and Italy
title_sort how concerning is lucifer insights from an experimental study of public responses to heat event naming in england and italy
topic Europe
heatwaves
weather event naming
weather risk communication
weather warnings
url https://doi.org/10.1002/met.70017
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