Why populations persist in active volcanic zones poses a fundamental challenge to risk perception models. We propose that perceptual advantages wherein tangible and intangible benefits filtered through local worldviews underpin this resilience. Through a thematic analysis of an open-ended question/answer study of communities in Mount Semeru, Indonesia, we identify six core frameworks of perceptual advantages. Analysis of Multiple Response Categorical Variable (MRCV) reveals that residents of high-risk zones cognitively amplify bio-cultural and livelihood benefits, showing significantly higher odds of emphasizing BIRTH/FAMILY (lineage/kin ties, birthright, and deep social networks that create an intergenerational connection to the land) and ECONOMIC (livelihood opportunities, including agriculture and volcano-driven tourism) advantages, while safe-zone residents prioritize ambient CLIMATE-related benefits (a preferred quality of life attributed to the region’s cool, fresh air and superior air quality). Crucially, the influence of gender is context-dependent, as significant disparities in perception vanish within the high-risk zone. In this environment, the shared experience of chronic volcanic threat supersedes gender distinction to foster a "community of fate". Within this collective, a shared risk-benefit calculus and a unified identity override individual perspectives. These findings demonstrate that persistence in hazardous environments reflects an active cognitive recalibration of risk and benefit, necessitating disaster policies that integrate these perceptual realities.
Ariyanti et al. (Wed,) studied this question.