Much has been written about subtle discrimination against womenand gender bias in the most unlikely places. As we approach thethree-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy (Oct. 22–31, 2012) andthe 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina last August, we wantto share the results of a 2014study published by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, whichfound that people judge hurricane risks in the context ofgender-based expectations.

The hurricane researchers hypothesized correctly thatindividuals assess their vulnerability to hurricanes and takeactions based not only on objective indicators of hurricaneseverity but also on the gender of hurricanes. This pattern mayemerge, they suggested, because individuals “systematicallyunderestimate” their vulnerability to hurricanes with more femininenames, avoiding or delaying protective measures.

[Related: How Hurricane Sandy created the ‘perfect storm’]

Policymaking implications

As climate change forecasts anticipate that storms will increasein severity in the coming years, the researchers said, “Ourfindings have increasingly important implications for policymakers,media practitioners, and the general public concerning hurricanecommunication and preparedness.” According to the researchers, thefindings also suggest that natural disasters, when given genderednames, can subtly influence behavior and expectations about stormdamage as well as the level of preparedness necessary for a givenstorm. “Thus, although using human names for hurricanes has beenthought by meteorologists to enhance the clarity and recall ofstorm information,” the researchers said, “This practice also tapsinto well-developed and widely held gender stereotypes, withunanticipated and potentially deadly consequences.”

The report also highlighted the importance of understanding theway that labels could influence responses to natural hazards andother events. Just think of “The Story of Ferdinand,” a children’s book byMunro Leaf, written in 1938 (and later the subject of a shortcartoon by Walt DisneyStudios). Ferdinand would rather smell the flowers than fightwith his fellow bulls—not expected behavior for a bull.

“When hurricanes and other such events are tagged with specificyet arbitrary labels used for other categories (men/women, animals,flora),” researchers noted, “One may expect human responses to beinfluenced by the mental representations associated with thosecategories. … Thus, a storm named for a flower may seem lessthreatening than one named for a raptor.”

This study provides an opportunity for agents and brokers tospeak with customers about the need to be prepared for all stormsin every season. It may be even more important this winter giventhe Weather Channel’s policy of naming significant winter stormsand blizzards. For the 2015-2016 season, the names range fromAjax to Zandor. Blizzard Bella, anyone?

[Related: Helping homeowners recover after naturaldisasters]