The Impact of Visual Variables in Flood Hazard Map on The Perception of Euro- Asian Cultural Groups
Abstract
As flood events become more frequent, Flood Hazard Map (FHM) play a key role in transnational disaster management. Yet prior research shows that difference in cultural background affect how users interpret disaster information, particularly comprehension, visual aesthetics, and risk perception, the absence of consistent design guidelines for flood data leads to misinterpretations in cross-border communication. Therefore, this study compares European and Asian users to identify design directions for cross-cultural flood risk communication. This study developed 6 Flood hazard map samples using two visual variables (color scheme × number of color) and conducted an online survey with 240 participants from Taiwan, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic, using validated scales and preference rankings across three dimensions. Results revealed cross-cultural differences in Flood hazard map-use behavior: Europeans more frequently used Flood hazard map for frequently visited places and travel destinations, indicating stronger cross-contextual risk-checking tendencies, whereas Asians focused more on residential-area risk identification. Regarding visual variables performance, the 4-levels blue–red scheme consistently ranked among the most preferred options across both regions. However, objective evaluations diverged: European participants rated option Ca (Yellow- Red + 4-levels) highest on most measures, except DAS-Adequacy of Information, while Asians showed the opposite pattern, rating Ca lowest in usability outcomes. Based on the results, this research integrates the performance of visual variable across comprehension, visual aesthetics, and risk perception. It further examines factors shaping the relationship between scale and ranking, and the results across the three perceptual dimensions. Finally, the findings are translated into design recommendations, underscoring the importance of a professional yet simplified strategy to prevent information overload and enhance risk communication.