Collective Memory and Disaster Preparedness: Insights from Mashiki and Palu

This study examines how disaster collective memory influences individual preparedness behavior by analyzing four mediating mechanisms; threat appraisal, social norms, coping appraisal, and trust, across two earthquake‑affected cities: Mashiki, Japan, and Palu, Indonesia. Using survey data and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the findings show that disaster collective memory significantly affects preparedness both directly and indirectly, but through different dominant pathways in each location. In Mashiki, where disaster governance and institutional communication are well established, collective memory primarily strengthens preparedness through higher coping appraisal and institutional trust. In contrast, in Palu, where community narratives of the 2018 disaster remain deeply embedded, collective memory more strongly enhances threat appraisal and social norms, making community‑based influence a key driver of preparedness. Across both contexts, all mediators significantly contribute to preparedness behavior, confirming their role as psychological and social pathways linking collective memory to protective action. These results highlight the importance of integrating memory‑based practices, such as documentation, intergenerational storytelling, commemoration, and transparent communication, into disaster risk‑reduction strategies tailored to local contexts. ​