People's Reactions To Emergency Warnings
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Date
1983-08
Authors
Quarantelli, E. L.
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Abstract
Description
In this paper we primarily summarize and highlight the major
findings regarding reactions of human beings to disaster warnings of
an immediate event. Response in this approach is viewed more narrowly
as the adjustive behavioral outcome of the reaction pattern.
Reaction is the broader set of activities involved in exposure to
and use of disseminated warning messages, as well as other observations
regarding a dangerous situation. Our focus is on individual reactions to relatively short-term
warnings as might be issued in a sudden emergency generated by a
flood from a dam collapse or sudden river rising, hurricane-typhoon
and cyclone, tsunamis or so called tidal wave, transportation accident
involving fire or explosion of dangerous chemicals, or a major
technological accident in a nuclear plant. We do not concern
ourselves with longer term messages which might warn about slowly
developing disasters such as might be involved in famines, droughts,
most epidemics, diffuse toxic poisonings, or even long range earthquake
predictions. More than logic is involved in distinguishing
between warnings in short run and long run situations. Empirically, research studies show there are some qualitative differences in how
people react to warnings in the two kinds of situations (e.g., warnings
are less recognized, believed, and responded to In the long run situations.
Keywords
Perceptions , Emergency warnings , Reactions , Warning Messages , Mass Media , Evacuation