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In the Eye of the Storm: Why some people stayed behind
July 06, 2009Hurricane Katrina was the largest natural disaster in U.S. history, claiming the lives of more than 1,800 victims and causing well over $100 billion in damage along the Gulf Coast. The 2005 storm breached every levee in New Orleans, flooding almost the entire city as well as the neighboring parishes. Yet a surprising number of people stayed behind and rode out the storm.
The general public, members of the media and government officials made instant analyses and character judgments of the people of New Orleans. But few people asked the residents themselves until recently. Stanford University psychologist Nicole Stephens and her colleagues decided to compare the views of outside observers with the perspectives of the New Orleans residents who actually rode out Katrina.
The researchers conducted two surveys, one of observers and one of survivors. Observers were asked how they perceived survivors who left and those who did not, and survivors were asked to describe their own hurricane-related experiences. The study of observers-including a large group of relief workers, firefighters, and physicians-perceived those who evacuated their homes as more self-reliant and hardworking. Those who stayed, however, were described as careless, passive, depressed and hopeless even though the observers were well aware that these residents lacked the resources to leave (money, transportation, out-of-town relatives).
When the psychologists surveyed actual Katrina survivors, they found that those who stayed behind did not feel powerless or passive. On the contrary, they saw themselves as connected with their neighbors, more communitarian than independent from others. Their stories emphasized their faith in God and their feelings of caring for others.
The psychologists also took detailed measures of all the survivors' well-being-their mood, life satisfaction, mental health, drug and alcohol use. As they report in a recent issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, there were no significant differences between those who stayed in New Orleans and those who left. It seems their different "choices" did not reflect differences in well-being.
Association for Psychological Science
When the psychologists surveyed actual Katrina survivors, they found that those who stayed behind did not feel powerless or passive. On the contrary, they saw themselves as connected with their neighbors, more communitarian than independent from others. Their stories emphasized their faith in God and their feelings of caring for others.
The psychologists also took detailed measures of all the survivors' well-being-their mood, life satisfaction, mental health, drug and alcohol use. As they report in a recent issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, there were no significant differences between those who stayed in New Orleans and those who left. It seems their different "choices" did not reflect differences in well-being.
Association for Psychological Science
Natural Disaster Current Events and Natural Disaster News RSSTsunami evacuation buildings: another way to save lives in the Pacific Northwest
Some time soon, a powerful earthquake will trigger a massive tsunami that will flood the Pacific Northwest, destroying homes and threatening the lives of tens of thousands of people, says Yumei Wang, a geotechnical engineer at the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries in Portland.
Stories We Tell About National Trauma Reflect Our Psychological Well-Being
A new study by psychologists at the University at Buffalo and the F. W. Olin College of Engineering finds that in the aftermath of national trauma, the ability to make sense out of what happened has implications for individual well-being and that the kinds of stories people tell about the incident predict very different psychological outcomes for them.
Scientists assess flooding and damage from 2008 Myanmar cyclone
Tropical cyclone Nargis made landfall in the Asian nation of Myanmar on May 2, 2008, causing the worst natural disaster in the country's recorded history - with a death toll that may have exceeded 138,000.
Social networking for terrorists
A new approach to analyzing social networks, reported in the current issue of the International Journal of Services Sciences, could help homeland security find the covert connections between the people behind terrorist attacks.
LSU Engineers model forecasts chemical contaminants based on Katrina-flooded homes
A recent study by LSU engineers suggests that Katrina-flooded homes may contain harmful levels of contaminants, particularly aerosols and gases, which could expose first-responders, residents and any others entering such homes to serious and lasting health risks. The results could also be applied to similar flooding events that might occur in the future.
Report offers options for negotiators seeking to craft critical accord on forests and climate change
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) today released a comprehensive analysis clarifying major challenges and offering an assortment of options that could help negotiators reach a global agreement on reducing carbon emissions tied to forest destruction and degradation.
The Flash Before the Flood
Flash floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States, and because of their unpredictability they're the leading weather-related cause of death for Americans.
Portable imaging system will help maximize public health response to natural disasters
Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed a low-cost, high-resolution imaging system that can be attached to a helicopter to create a complete and detailed picture of an area devastated by a hurricane or other natural disaster.
Severe, acute maternal stress linked to the development of schizophrenia
Pregnant women who endure the psychological stress of being in a war zone are more likely to give birth to a child who develops schizophrenia.
Rabbits to the rescue of the reef
While rabbits continue to ravage Australia's native landscapes, rabbit fish may help save large areas of the Great Barrier Reef from destruction.
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Natural Disaster by Chris Owen (Author) Jake and Tor return in this long-awaited sequel to the bestselling Bareback! Having bought the ranch they've worked on for so long, they're now the proud owners of a spread of their own. There's more than enough on their plate coping with their new responsibilities and their arguments over ranch management, and it's not long before even more trouble hits. When he learns his sister has died in an automobile accident, Jake is crushed. His grief is tempered by Tor's loving support, but they're forced to be apart while Jake deals with the family. When they bring Jake's nephew back to the ranch, things stretch to the breaking point. From the day to day difficulties of running the ranch to dealing with a teenager who's just lost his mother, Jake and Tor wonder if they'll be able to survive. In... |
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Natural Disasters Starring: Natural Disasters Directed By: Not Available Since 1935, the National Archives has been responsible for the acquisition, preservation and public dissemination of the permanent records of the United States Government. Selected by specialists at the Archives, Natural Disasters chronicles some of the world s most devastating earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, and volcanoes. Also recounted are the heroic efforts of relief workers to return cities to normal and the attempts of local governments to better prepare for future events. The authentic films on this DVD highlight the superb collection of shared national memories available from the Archives. VOLUME 1 EARTHQUAKES |
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Natural Disaster Plain White T's (Primary Contributor) |
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