The social psychological impacts of a technological accident: Collective stress and perceived health risks

Abstract

Technological accidents pose a threat to community structure and the social psychological wellbeing of community residents. This research provides an evaluation of the impact of a major train derailment and toxic spill in Livingston, Louisiana, a rural community in the United States. The nature, direction and magnitude of this impact are assessed through data collected under a court-order and introduced as evidence in class-action litigation. A disaster impact assessment design was developed and data were collected 20 months after the accident. Findings for the residents of Livingston reveal that victims closer to the impact site, members of families who are evacuated for longer time periods and members of families who were separated at the time of the accident experienced the most collective stress and manifested strongest concerns about risks to their health. Many of the community residents wanted to move because they were upset with the source of the accident and they perceived that they had “increased risks of getting cancer” and feared that their “drinking water was contaminated”. The social-psychological impact of this technological accident varied in terms of disaster demographics, providing one basis for mitigation and the allocation of compensation through a court settlement.