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In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, disaster research witnessed a convergence of researchers from the social sciences in disciplinary and multidisciplinary teams. National Science Foundation grants funded significant numbers of teams to address topics related to the event and the emotional responses of its impact. Research on disaster mental health is not a new field of study, and research has demonstrated the devastating psychological and mental health effects of disasters; however, the literature focuses predominantly on assisting victims and survivors, with substantially less literature related to the potential social psychological and emotional impacts related to research conducting intense field studies. This essay discusses the emotional dimensions of conducting disaster research by using classic and contemporary social psychological theories to explore how researchers deal with and/or negotiate the potential role conflict and the emotional dimensions of their fieldwork.

It has long been understood by disaster researchers that both the general public and organizational actors tend to believe in various disaster myths. Notions that disasters are accompanied by looting, social disorganization, and deviant behavior are examples of such myths. Research shows that the mass media play a significant role in promulgating erroneous beliefs about disaster behavior. Following Hurricane Katrina, the response of disaster victims was framed by the media in ways that greatly exaggerated the incidence and severity of looting and lawlessness. Media reports initially employed a "civil unrest" frame and later characterized victim behavior as equivalent to urban warfare. The media emphasis on lawlessness and the need for strict social control both reflects and reinforces political discourse calling for a greater role for the military in disaster management. Such policy positions are indicators of the strength of militarism as an ideology in the United States.

It has long been understood by disaster researchers that both the general public & organizational actors tend to believe in various disaster myths. Notions that disasters are accompanied by looting, social disorganization, & deviant behavior are examples of such myths. Research shows that the mass media play a significant role in promulgating erroneous beliefs about disaster behavior. Following Hurricane Katrina, the response of disaster victims was framed by the media in ways that greatly exaggerated the incidence & severity of looting & lawlessness. Media reports initially employed a "civil unrest" frame & later characterized victim behavior as equivalent to urban warfare. The media emphasis on lawlessness & the need for strict social control both reflects & reinforces political discourse calling for a greater role for the military in disaster management. Such policy positions are indicators of the strength of militarism as an ideology in the United States. References. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc., copyright 2006 The American Academy of Political and Social Science.]

The delegation of decision‐making capacity from one actor to another—known variously as authority or control—is a central phenomenon of organizational sociology. Despite its theoretical and practical significance, however, the dynamics of control within disrupted settings (such as disasters) remain poorly understood. Here, we shed light on this question by a reexamination of historical data on multiorganizational disaster response networks, using recently developed statistical methods for robust inference from error‐prone informant reports. Specifically, we test competing hypotheses about the relationship of control during the response process to the structure of interorganizational communication. We find that both the realized and normative response hierarchies are likely shaped by coordination among both nonadjacent alters and along indirect channels. Our results suggested that the communication structure of these networks is consistent with a control at a distance model of command. This article makes a substantial contribution to understanding the role of network structure in the emergence of control between organizations in disrupted settings. Additionally, our innovative approach to network inference will guide researchers in dealing with error‐prone data in their own research on policy networks.

The biophysical context and contextual change have significant economic, cultural, social, and psychological consequences for individuals and communities. Although acknowledging the importance of the biophysical context for theoretical and conceptual issues, social science research typically is conducted as if context does not matter. The authors discuss the relevance of context and outline research that examines the effects of context through assumed contextual variation, subjective contextual variables, objective contextual variables, and temporal contextual variation. The authors hypothesize that an ecological disaster occurring in a community where people are connected to the biophysical environment and ecological processes will result in the adoption of a more ecological worldview. This hypothesis is tested by analyzing data collected in the renewable resource communities of Cordova and Petersburg, Alaska, in the aftermath of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The authors find support for this hypothesis and provide suggestions for future research.

Abstract Background Public health resources are often deployed in developing countries by foreign governments, national governments, civil society and the private health clinics, but seldom in ways that are coordinated within a particular community or population. The lack of coordination results in inefficiencies and suboptimal results. Organizational network analysis can reveal how organizations interact with each other and provide insights into means of realizing better public health results from the resources already deployed. Our objective in this study was to identify the missed opportunities for the integration of HIV care and family planning services and to inform future network strengthening. Methods In two sub-cities of Addis Ababa, we identified each organization providing either HIV care or family planning services. We interviewed representatives of each of them about exchanges of clients with each of the others. With network analysis, we identified network characteristics in each sub-city network, such as referral density and centrality; and gaps in the referral patterns. The results were shared with representatives from the organizations. Results The two networks were of similar size (25 and 26 organizations) and had referral densities of 0.115 and 0.155 out of a possible range from 0 (none) to 1.0 (all possible connections). Two organizations in one sub-city did not refer HIV clients to a family planning organization. One organization in one sub-city and seven in the other offered few HIV services and did not refer clients to any other HIV service provider. Representatives from the networks confirmed the results reflected their experience and expressed an interest in establishing more links between organizations. Conclusions Because of organizations not working together, women in the two sub-cities were at risk of not receiving needed family planning or HIV care services. Facilitating referrals among a few organizations that are most often working in isolation could remediate the problem, but the overall referral densities suggests that improved connections throughout might benefit conditions in addition to HIV and family planning that need service integration.

There has been renewed interest in radiological preparedness and countermeasures for nuclear power plant (NPP) emergencies in the United States as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi accident in March 2011. One such countermeasure, potassium iodide (KI), was voluntarily pre-distributed to households in a central North Carolina community living within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of a NPP in 2010. The goal of this study was to evaluate household KI coverage among EPZ residents following this pre-distribution campaign, as well as to assess knowledge and beliefs about KI. A guided interview and self-administered questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 177 EPZ households. Findings indicate four months post-distribution that this program resulted in low household KI coverage rates (< 5%) and low KI knowledge levels. Results demonstrate the need for improved KI pre-distribution and education strategies targeting households within the designated 10-mile EPZ.

Purpose Identifying drivers of behavior is essential to develop effective messaging around COVID-19 prevention and mitigation. Our study assessed for behavioral antecedents of social distancing, wearing face coverings, and sheltering in place during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although ours is an early assessment, understanding motivation for behavior will remain critical as U.S. vaccination uptake has stalled and variants continue to pose a health threat. Design Cross-sectional survey; Setting: Online assessments in April 10–13 and 17–20, 2020; Subjects: 2,279 U.S. adults identified through a national, probability-based web panel (34% response rate). Measures: self-reported behavior, perceived effectiveness and risk, worry, social norms, and knowledge. Analysis Multivariable regression analyses Results Most Americans reported social distancing (91%) and sheltering in place (86%). Just over half reported wearing face coverings (51%), whereas more (77%) said they intended to do so. Perceived effectiveness of the behavior was consistently associated with each outcome (OR = 2.34, 1.40, 2.11, respectively; all P < .01). Perceptions about the extent to which others should comply with behavior (social norms) were strongly associated with intentions to wear a face covering only (OR = 6.30, 95% CI 4.34-9.15; P < .001) and worry about getting COVID-19 was associated with sheltering in place and social distancing (OR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.15–5.00; 4.91, 95% CI 1.66, 14.50, respectively; all P < .05). Conclusion Behavioral constructs were strongly associated with COVID-19 preventive and mitigation behaviors and have implications for communication.