Disaster Myths Research Articles

Beliefs that predict support for needs-based disaster aid distribution

Disaster aid distribution in the U.S. worsens social inequities. Public demand to incorporate needs or social vulnerability into disaster aid policy could lead to more equitable disaster recovery. In two studies (N = 664) we examined what predicts preferences for needs-based disaster aid (Study 1) and then tested whether we could increase support for this kind of policy (Study 2). In Study 1, we asked participants to rate disaster aid distribution policies and report on beliefs that previous research suggests would relate to policy preferences. Social Dominance Orientation and Conservatism predicted less support for needs-based aid. People who did not endorse common disaster myths (e.g., that crime rates increase after a disaster), and who saw climate change or wealth distribution as causes of disaster harm supported needs-based aid. In Study 2, we developed messages targeting these three beliefs and compared them to a control message. While our intervention did not influence support for needs-based aid, it did shift the targeted beliefs, which were again positively associated with support for needs-based aid. Findings from Study 2 also shed light on participants’ own reasoning behind their preferences, which may prove useful for policy design and framing as well. Our studies highlight beliefs and other factors that relate to preferences for different types of disaster aid and provide an entry point for future equity efforts in disaster recovery.

Maladaptive behaviors in disasters: case study evaluation of Hurricane Hugo, Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti Earthquake.

Maladaptive behaviors during a disaster refer to actions that do not benefit the individual or society. Quarantelli highlights several maladaptive behaviors myths associated with disasters: widespread antisocial behavior, passivity, role conflict or abandonment, and sudden widespread mental health breakdowns (1). Despite early work reporting these myths, the common perception is that maladaptive behaviors such as rioting, looting, panic, and criminal conduct are prevalent in the wake of disasters. This is despite research by de Ville de Goyet and Arnold which has called on public officials and the media to stop propagating false disaster myths (2, 3). The classic academic response has been that this is a misconception and that, in fact, such behaviors are a very small part of the overall disaster and are mostly non-existent. Misconceptions about the prevalence of maladaptive behaviors can lead to inappropriate resource allocation, such as allocating extra police officers to prevent looting when the overall crime rate for the most part, decreases during disasters (4). Furthermore, while there are several persistent maladaptive behaviors myths, this is confounded by the presence of actual negative behaviors post disaster: false damage claims, insurance fraud, illegally obtaining relief supplies, failure to provide contracted repair services, hoarding of essential items, psychological trauma (which can lead to intergenerational transmission of the disaster memory) and medications and price gouging (5).When reading lay-press articles about recent disasters, it appears that these behaviors are on the rise. This raises the question: Has there been a change in the basic human reaction to disasters and are maladaptive behaviors on the rise? This review article focuses on case studies from three natural disasters: Hurricanes Hugo and Katrina, and the Haiti Earthquake. The goal of this review article is to evaluate these three natural disasters for evidence of maladaptive behaviors.

“A Yam between Two Rocks”: A Comparative Analysis of Disaster Coverage and Geopolitical Dynamics in Nepali and Indian News Reporting of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake

The devastating Gorkha earthquake, measuring 7.8M on the Richter scale, struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, followed by a major aftershock on May 12, 2015. The earthquakes killed approximately 9,000 people and injured thousands more, garnering significant media coverage. We employ qualitative content analysis and media framing theories to demonstrate evidence of social construction in the Gorkha earthquake media coverage from two Nepali national and two Indian newspapers. Using a sample of 2,862 articles published within a year of the earthquake, five major frames: the disaster frame, disaster myths, the therapeutic community frame, recreancy, and international support emerged during the analysis. Our study demonstrates how media coverage reflects current geopolitical dynamics in the region, distinguishing impoverished Nepal from two emerging economic giants, India and China. We contribute to developing literature arguing that media coverage during disasters produces global human life hierarchies. Our study adds a class hierarchy dimension, where tourists are more valuable than locals, and even among tourists, those involved in high-end tourism attract additional media attention.

Negative misconceptions about disaster behaviour through availability cascades: An examination of secondhand information and the moderating effect of trait anxiety on disaster myths

AbstractThe present study was designed to shed light on the origin of disaster myths, such as panic, looting, crime, and psychological shock in postdisaster situations, by examining effects of secondhand information and the moderating effect of anxiety on such negative misconceptions. It was hypothesized that secondhand information on disaster behaviour, such as media reports and word‐of‐mouth rumours, and trait anxiety would increase the degrees to which people gave credit to four popular disaster myths. Also, trait anxiety was predicted to moderate the association between information sources and disaster myths. Questionnaire data obtained from 1,500 Japanese participants indicated that people relying on secondhand information gave more credit to all the four misconceptions than those relying on firsthand information such as direct disaster experience. However, trait anxiety was not found to significantly affect the degrees of the disaster myths. Furthermore, the moderating effect of trait anxiety on the association between the information sources and the disaster myths was not observed in any of the four myths. The present results imply that although reliance on secondhand information increases the degree of disaster myths to some extent, there should be other causes from which disaster myths originate.

Science or Fiction: The Persistence of Disaster Myths in Hollywood Films

Hollywood continues to be both profitable and successful in attracting audiences to witness displays of death and destruction on the silver screen. Tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunami hazards, and climate change are among the most recent hazards portrayed in disaster films. The purpose of our research was to systematically collect and analyze physical, social, and temporal data from twelve disaster films to build upon past studies examining the portrayal of disaster. Our findings indicate a clear shift from those identified in earlier studies, with disaster myths (e.g. the importance of death tolls; technology as the only solution) appearing more than previously. Further, current trends in the disaster film genre indicate a shift toward unpredictable, widespread events and a defenseless humanity.

Debunking 10 Disaster and Preparedness Myths.

Debunking 10 Disaster and Preparedness Myths.

Command-and-control, emergency powers, and the failure to observe United Nations disaster management principles following the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake

Using the disaster risk reduction paradigm and United Nations principles for post-disaster interventions, we analyse the actions of the Italian civil protection agency following the April 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila (Abruzzo, Italy), especially the use of a command-and-control approach and emergency powers. We consider the immediate response, the militarization of the emergency area, the establishment of red zones, the provision of emergency shelter and temporary housing, and the utilisation of disaster myths. We discuss the failure of the command-and-control approach to respect internationally-agreed principles of disaster risk reduction. The tragedy and multidimensionality of disaster impacts should induce disaster agencies to carefully consider the social dimensions of disaster in planning interventions. We found, however, that decision makers often adopt a ‘command-and-control’ approach and rely on emergency powers. These institutional arrangements mean disaster agencies implement top-down planning without transparency or accountability. There is no systematic approach to disaster risk reduction, community empowerment or resilience building. Post-disaster interventions are influenced by myths and misconceptions, and do not acknowledge the social dimensions of disasters. They increase dependency on external support, annihilate the potentialities of local communities, create further environmental and social impacts, violate human rights, while worsening vulnerabilities and risks. All this facilitates disaster capitalism and corruption, ultimately resulting into a second disaster.

That's a Myth! Teaching about Disaster Myths through Experiential Learning

Experiential learning theory suggests that students learn best when they experience, reflect, conceptualize, and apply newfound knowledge. In this series of exercises, students will learn about disaster myths by observing concrete examples, reflecting on them critically, and applying concepts to real world examples. By doing so, they obtain skills to assess and analyze myths about public behavior in the aftermath of a disaster.

Disaster Movies in the Classroom: Pedagogical Value and Teaching Approaches

Film as a pedagogical technique has been increasingly utilized by instructors in the classroom setting. As previous research highlights the benefits of this method, the question remains as to how this strategy can be effectively applied in the study of hazards, disasters, and emergency management. This paper describes an undergraduate course that uses cinematic portrayals of disaster to present and highlight a number of significant themes from the disaster science literature. We have found the examination of disaster films to be a valuable strategy for teaching topics which can range from disaster myths or erroneous science or, by contrast, relatively accurate portrayals of human behavior in disaster. This article surveys some of the existing literature on film in teaching; highlights how we have used films in courses; and offers suggestions on how some noteworthy films can be used to demonstrate and rein force challenging theories from the literature.

Disaster myths among disaster response professionals and the source of such misconceptions

This study examined how pervasive disaster myths would be among disaster response professionals (n = 401) compared to lay people (n = 600), as well as sources of disaster myths among them. Results revealed that both of the groups believed five common disaster myths to some extent. Moreover, the mass media had a positive association with only one myth among these professionals, while the media was positively associated with all the five myths among lay people. In summary, the present findings indicated that disaster response professionals were not more insightful into all the myths than lay people, and that the mass media and popular culture were not the principal sources of the disaster myths among these professionals.

Emerging citizen responses to disasters in Germany. Disaster myths as an impediment for a collaboration of unaffiliated responders and professional rescue forces

Combating disasters necessitates taking advantage of all means and resources that are available. A number of events in recent years have demonstrated the necessity, as well as the potential of well‐integrated and coordinated action between unaffiliated and professional responders. Nevertheless, in practical situations this potential remains largely untapped. This article investigates the case in Germany and asks to which extent known and researched disaster myths impede the cooperation between unaffiliated and professional responders. We combine data from observations of a full‐scale exercise, a representative population survey (N = 1.006), and expert interviews with professional rescue workers to answer our research question. With the results of our research, we have deduced that these disaster myths still significantly influence the perceptions and practical actions of the various involved actors and, as such, that approaches aiming to improve the various forms of cooperation between all available forces must take these underlying assumptions into account.

Experiencing local community resilience in action: Learning from post-disaster communities

Although increasing attention has been given to the need to engage local communities and facilitate community resilience, discrepancies between theory and practice remain evident. Myths, misconceptions and mistakes persist in post-disaster emergency operations, and in the reconstruction and re-development efforts following disaster. The ‘command and control’ approach typically deployed by disaster management agencies results in an increasing dependency on external support and annihilates the potentialities of local communities. Learning lessons from post-disaster interventions is important in order to better understand how to orient development interventions, especially those addressed to the sustainable development of vulnerable areas, such as mountain and rural territories. We emphasise the importance of recognizing community resilience and the capacity of local communities to self-organise. We describe examples of community resilience in action as it occurred following the earthquake in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy on 6 April 2009. We discuss the aftershock economies and aftershock societies that developed in the extraordinary communities that emerged around rural villages in the mountain areas around L'Aquila. A multi-methods approach was used, primarily drawing on personal experiences of life in the autonomous locally-organised camps that were established in rural areas following the earthquake. We conclude that the persistence of various disaster myths and the failure to acknowledge community resilience undermine more effective, socially-sustainable, disaster management and rural development planning. Learning from the post-disaster communities that arose in the L'Aquila post-earthquake mountain territory, we argue that in post-disaster management and in rural development planning, there should be a greater awareness of the underlying community resilience, and we suggest that greater attention should be given to understanding, recognizing and strengthening the capacities of local communities and the resilient social processes they put into action in order to address the negative social and economic impacts they experience during crises.

“Making It Worse than What Really Happened”: Social Chaos and Preparedness as Problematic Mythologies in Disaster Communication

This perspective piece explores both social chaos and disaster preparedness as mythologies that are a persistent part of problems with disaster communication. It argues that while extant scholarship acknowledges disaster myths that advance the belief that social chaos and, for example, looting is common is problematic, there has not been much done to mitigate this in practice. Furthermore, the continued focus on social disorder in institutional efforts does not recognize inherent skills and capabilities of citizens both at risk for and affected by disaster. Here I argue, the concept of preparedness is an expectation that dichotomizes human behavior and is a form of social control. Those who are not prepared according to institutional norms have the potential to be unruly. The management of large emergencies must mitigate myths and advance more accurate understandings of pro-sociality in disasters. To this end, the status quo communicates bad information about human behavior in crisis that perpetuates a paternalistic institutional approach that stagnates equitable disaster management. Here, I pose a call for new directions in disaster research given such issues.

Managing to avert disaster: Explaining collective resilience at an outdoor music event

AbstractThere is considerable evidence that psychological membership of crowds can protect people in dangerous events, although the underlying social–psychological processes have not been fully investigated. There is also evidence that those responsible for managing crowd safety view crowds as a source of psychological danger, views that may themselves impact upon crowd safety; yet, there has been little examination of how such ‘disaster myths’ operate in practice. In a study of an outdoor music event characterized as a near disaster, analysis of questionnaire survey data (N = 48) showed that social identification with the crowd predicted feeling safe directly as well as indirectly through expectations of help and trust in others in the crowd to deal with an emergency. In a second study of the same event, qualitative analysis of interviews (N = 20) and of contemporaneous archive materials showed that, in contrast to previous findings, crowd safety professionals' references to ‘mass panic’ were highly nuanced. Despite an emphasis by some safety professionals on crowd ‘disorder’, crowd participants and some of the professionals also claimed that self‐organization in the crowd prevented disaster.

Branding Disaster: Reestablishing Trust through the Ideological Containment of Systemic Risk Anxieties

Drawing from literary criticism and institutional theory, this article analyzes the public discourse surrounding the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989 and BP Gulf Spill of 2010. While industrial accidents such as oil spills can erode consumers� trust in experts, a macrolevel analysis reveals that media coverage of such events ultimately contains the anxieties that are sparked by initial news coverage. The brandcentric disaster myths generated by media coverage frame public discourse in ways that help to reestablish consumers� trust in expert systems while also insulating corporations and governmental institutions from more systematic critiques. This analysis contributes to a macrolevel theorization of the institutional and ideological structures that shape consumers� risk perceptions and just world beliefs. It also extends prior accounts of cultural branding by identifying a set of ideological effects that operate in concert with the more commonly discussed therapeutic benefits afforded by marketplace myths.

Disaster myths after the Great East Japan Disaster and the effects of information sources on belief in such myths.

This study examines how well disaster myths were rooted in Japanese people after the Great East Japan Disaster, as well as the effects of information sources on these misconceptions. Five common disaster myths are covered (panic, psychological shock, looting, increases in the crime rate, and material convergence), and information sources were divided into two types: public and private. Three hundred participants were asked how much credit they would give the five myths and which information sources they would rely on in post-disaster situations. The results found that, as in Western societies, these disaster myths do exist among Japanese people. Also, only public sources of disaster information, such as television and Internet news websites, had some effect on the degree of belief in disaster myths, while private sources, such as one's family, friends, and social networking sites, did not. Factors affecting the degree to which people believe in disaster myths are also discussed.

Strife and Starvation: Euripides’ Helen

This paper argues that Euripides’ Helen offers a dual perspective on the divine and mortal realms, a contrast between human ignorance and Olympian agendas. The action deals with the misunderstandings and misfortunes that beset the human protagonists while Euripides’ re-visioned versions of the two primary disaster myths in ancient Greek culture—the Trojan War and Demeter’s famine—subjects of the first and second stasima respectively, provide an informing, contrapuntal tragic subtext. The two stasima tell their stories in vastly different modes, but together they provide etiologies for war and famine, the primary ills of human existence.

Psychological disaster myths in the perception and management of mass emergencies

AbstractDisaster myths are said to be widespread and consequential. However, there has been little research on whether those involved in public safety and emergency response believe them. A survey examined how far police officers, civilian safety professionals, sports event stewards and comparison samples from the public believe the myths “mass panic,” “civil disorder,” and “helplessness.” Respondents endorsed the first two myths. However, they rejected the myth of helplessness and endorsed the view that emergency crowds display resilience. Despite these contradictions in stated beliefs, there was also evidence of ideological coherence: each model of mass emergency behavior (maladaptive vs. resilient) was linked to a model of crowd management (coercive and paternalistic vs. mass‐democratic). The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Tsunami Waves of Destruction: The Creation of the “New Australian Catastrophe”

Tsunami Waves of Destruction: The Creation of the “New Australian Catastrophe”

Differences in opinions on disaster myths between first-year and sixth-year medical students

We aimed to determine the influence of a medical school program on altering the opinion of medical students on disaster myths. This cross-sectional survey study was conducted in October 2005 in Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Turkey, with the participation of 191 (83.0%) first-year and 232 (80.8%) sixth-year medical students. The opinions of the students with regard to 22 disaster myths and the influence of the medical school program on these opinions were evaluated. Chi-square test was used in the statistical analysis. One hundred and fifty-nine first-year (83.2%) and 178 (76.7%) sixth-year students had knowledge about disasters (chi2=2.75, P=0.972). Television was cited as the leading source of knowledge among both first-year (63.9%, 122) and sixth-year (62.1%, 144) students. The medical school was the last resource for knowledge as reported by first-year students (0.5%, one student), and ranked fourth as a knowledge resource according to sixth-year students (47.0%, 109 students). Statistically significant differences were determined in opinions between the two groups of students, with sixth-year students having a higher rate of correct answers in only seven myths. In 17 myths, the number of correct responses for both groups was below 60%. If the myths and realities in disaster situations are valid, we demonstrated that the medical education curriculum at one of the leading medical faculties in Turkey failed to correct the misconceptions of the medical students. As the opinions of students regarding disaster myths may reflect those of their trainers, similar surveys conducted among the faculty would be informative.