Information Acquisition, Perception, Preference, and Convergence by Gulf Coast Residents in the Aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina Crisis

Abstract

This study identifies the arguments and information sources perceived as most credible by coastal Mississippi residents recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Twenty-five interviews were conducted with residents who remained in Mississippi during the most devastating storm in the state's history. The interviews provided a description of how residents both perceived and responded to the crisis. Results indicate residents were most influenced by information received through local media sources. Local sources provided data that contributed directly to the residents' potential for self-protection and recovery. In contrast, the national media presented data as part of a larger dramatic narrative and, by residents' standards, that data did not always reflect the local experience. The larger narrative was perceived as inaccurate and even offensive by many interviewees.