Analysis of Psychological Factors on People's Choice Behavior in Response to Earthquake Crisis in Transport Network Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)

It is necessary to study the behavior of people in the transport network in the event of an earthquake crisis in order to predict the situation. In this research, it is attempted to study the pattern of choice behavior in Qazvin transport network by considering physical and behavioral factors simultaneously. In this regard, using the revealed preference survey method for earthquake occurred on December 20, 2017 and the stated preference survey method for scenarios designed for earthquake occurrence, earthquake crisis response pattern, factors affecting traffic behavior and latent behavioral variables affecting a person's response to earthquake crisis have been investigated under 6 earthquake scenarios at the desired times and intensities. The required data for the study include socioeconomic variables and characteristics of daily trips as observed variables and personality traits as latent variables. Individuals' personality characteristics were assessed using the “NEO-FFI Personality Inventory”. The results of this study, based on the statistical analysis of filled questionnaires were obtained by 546 people living in Qazvin and constructing structural equations in order to investigate the effects of observed and latent variables on individuals' choice behavior. In this method, latent variables have been identified and estimated by measurement equations with the help of data obtained from the neo questionnaire as measurement indicators. The results of the structural equation show that the hypothesis of the impact of socioeconomic variables and their measurement indices such as age, gender and …on the behavior of people selection in response to earthquake crisis is significant. Also, the results show that people with high extroversion factor (coefficient in SEM model= 0.108) and high openness factor (coefficient in SEM model= 0.221), are more likely to evacuate. People with high neuroticism factor (coefficient in SEM model= 0.058), are more likely to move out of town at the time of the earthquake.