Much has been written about subtle discrimination against women and gender bias in the most unlikely places. As we approach the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy (Oct. 22–31, 2012) and the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina last August, we want to share the results of a 2014 study published by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, which found that people judge hurricane risks in the context of gender-based expectations.
The hurricane researchers hypothesized correctly that individuals assess their vulnerability to hurricanes and take actions based not only on objective indicators of hurricane severity but also on the gender of hurricanes. This pattern may emerge, they suggested, because individuals “systematically underestimate” their vulnerability to hurricanes with more feminine names, avoiding or delaying protective measures.
Recommended For You
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Rosalie Donlon
Rosalie Donlon is the editor in chief of ALM's insurance and tax publications, including NU Property & Casualty magazine and NU PropertyCasualty360.com. You can contact her at [email protected].
