Are fatalism and optimism an obstacle to developing self-protecting behaviors? Study with a Turkish sample

Turkum A.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND PERSONALITY, vol.34, no.1, pp.51-58, 2006 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 34 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2006
  • Doi Number: 10.2224/sbp.2006.34.1.51
  • Journal Name: SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND PERSONALITY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.51-58
  • Keywords: fatalism, optimism, earthquake, traffic accidents, self-protecting behaviors, UNREALISTIC OPTIMISM, 1999 EARTHQUAKE, GENDER DIFFERENCES, TURKEY, RISK, EXPERIENCE, SURVIVORS, PERCEPTIONS, PESSIMISM, CULTURE
  • Anadolu University Affiliated: No

Abstract

This study investigates the differences in self-protecting behaviors (SPB) related to earthquakes and traffic accidents in terms of demographic characteristics, having experiences of these events, fatalistic view, and optimistic expectations among a cohort of Turkish people (N = 398). Results show that SPB of the participants vary according to the interaction among gender, marital status, number of children, and to the interaction among personal experiences of traffic accident and/or earthquake, and relatives/friends' experiences of traffic accidents. The results of regression analysis showed that marital status, gender and optimism predict SPB.