Suppressing the Adaptation Pathway: Negative Effects of Heat Exposure Risk on Perception, Impact, and Behavior

As the frequency, duration, and severity of global heatwaves intensify, increasing proportions of urban populations are being exposed to extreme heat risks. Although the health impacts of high temperatures have been extensively documented, the mechanisms linking heat risk perception, experienced impacts, and adaptive behaviors remain insufficiently understood, particularly across different gradients of exposure intensity. Moreover, most cross-sectional studies on heat risk perception overlook the spatial heterogeneity of heat exposure risk, which may lead to biased assessments of residents’ perception levels and adaptive capacity. In this study, spatially explicit heat exposure risk assessments are integrated with household survey data, and structural equation modeling (SEM) is applied to examine the associations among heat exposure risk, residents’ heat risk perception, heat risk impacts, and adaptive behaviors. The results show significant negative associations between heat exposure risk and perception, impact, and adaptation. Residents in high-risk areas tend to have lower levels of heat risk perception, which in turn suppresses adaptive behaviors. Further analyses reveal that socioeconomic factors play moderating roles across different exposure gradients. Age and education are key determinants of heat risk perception, but their effects weaken in high-risk groups. Education significantly affects psychological and physical health impacts and promotes adaptive behaviors, particularly transportation-related protective actions. Income is also positively associated with transportation protective behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating objective heat exposure risk into studies of heat risk perception and adaptive behaviors. They also underscore the need for differentiated, community-level adaptation strategies to address growing spatial and social inequalities under climate change.

Keywords: Heat exposure risk; Heat risk perception; Adaptive behavior