The PSYCHOLOGICAL & SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION of

DISASTERS

Aurora Corpuz-Mendoza, Ph.D

Department of Psychology-UPD

CE10 29 Jan 2015

Disaster Risk Reduction

Ecological

Vulnerability Analysis

Technocratic

Civil Defense

Conceptual frameworks for prevention and mitigating the effects of hazards

People-Environment Framework Disasters = events that are products of transactions of people w their environments

Disasters have a personal & sociocultural meaning:

personal interpretations (perceptions)

sociocultural values

Responses to disasters are personal & cultural

The Spinning Dancer: LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS (anti -

clockswise )

uses logic detail oriented facts rule words and language present and past math and science can comprehend knowing acknowledges order/pattern perception knows object name reality based forms strategies practical safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS (clockswise )

uses feeling "big picture" oriented imagination rules symbols and images

present and future philosophy & religion can "get it" (i.e. meaning) believes appreciates spatial perception knows object function fantasy based presents possibilities impetuous risk taking From: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/right -brain-v-left-brain/story-e6frf7jo-1111114603615

The Spinning Dancer: This image, originally created by Nobuyuki Kayahara , was first used as a personality test.

Lack of visual cues for depth, cause the illusion.

It is an example of something called bistable perception . It is in the same class of illusion as the Necker cube and Peter-Paul goblet.

Major Phases of DRRM

Mitigation and Prevention: risk assessment, land use

planning, structural measures, public awareness and education,

Adaptation: adjustment in natural or human systems in

response to extreme weather events to moderate harm or

Preparedness and Alertness: monitoring, prediction, early

warning, mapping vulnerable areas, organisation and

Response: alarm, life and property rescue, reduction of impact

Recovery: reconstruction or retrofitting of infrastructure;

rehabilitation of communication and transport systems;

community rehabilitation; post-disaster psychosocial support,..

DRRM PHASES & COMPLIANCE

The response of individuals to each of the DRRM Phases is affected by what a particular disaster warning means for each individual

Personality, gender, age + other sociodemographic variables interact with physical aspects of the environment

1. Reduction/ Mitigation

Common mitigation measures are structural/ technological,

Or Non structural eg legislation, insurance;

Mitigation is often preceded by risk assessment that is usually PHYSICAL

RISK ASSESSMENT

PHYSICAL RISK

Identifying & Evaluating objectively the dangers posed by the physical envt

PERCEIVED RISK

Identifying & Evaluating subjectively the perceived dangers in the envt

Are the walls of this house facing outward, or inward?

RISK ASSESSMENT

The level of risk as determined by an instrument is fixed (eg winds of 160kph)

But perceived risk is based on:

1. past experience,

2. personal diffs (gender, age) in risk - taking,

3. soc context & cultural scripts (reality as constructed by others)

PERCEIVED RISK

Involves judgements w/c influence our individual conclusions about hazards

Likelihood

Severity

Concern

What to do

Measuring Perceived Risk

Psychometric approaches have identified consistencies in risk perception that may explain responses of extreme aversion or indifference (Slovic, 1987)

PERCEIVED RISKINESS DREADFUL RISK

Difficult to control

High catastrophic potential

Fatal consequences

Unequal risks & benefits in society

UNKNOWN RISK

Unobservable effects

Not fully understood

New

Delayed effects

PERCEIVED RISKINESS (Kleinhesselink & Rosa, 1991)

JAPAN

Automobile transport

And Smoking Low unknown risk

Low dread risk

Nuclear power Low unknown risk

High dread risk

Planes

High unknown risk

High dread risk

USA

Automobile transport

And Smoking Low unknown risk

Low dread risk

Nuclear power High unknown risk

High dread risk

Planes

High unknown risk

Low dread risk

Perceived Risk is Personal handiworkalazen.blogspot.com

RISK HOMEOSTASIS THEORY Simonet & Wilde, 1997

Acceptable Risk

Perceived Risk

Comparison

Adjust Behavior

+ Outcome -

RISK ACCEPTANCE INDIVIDUAL Differences

Perceived safer environments

e.g flood dikes, stone buildings

Afford more risks (Daring)

e.g delay evacuation responses

High value for family, shelter, livelihood

e.g

Put own life at risk (Heroic)

RISK ACCEPTANCE CULTURAL Beliefs & Values

LOW Uncertainty avoidance HIGH

(Germans) (Filipinos)

Being on time Bahala na

HIGH Risk acceptance HIGH

Overspeeding Lack of action

plans

(Cvetkovich & Earle, 1994)

Theory of Planned Behavior Azjen, 1993

Attitude toward

Behavior

Behavioral Risky

Subjective Norm Intention Behavior

Cautious

Perceived Control

Communication: Early Warning Systems

Science & Technology determine the form of early warning systems (EWS) that will initiate the implementation of courses of action

e.g Typhoon signals

Flood warnings