1. Understanding Mass Panic, Disasters, and Human Behaviors - Discussion Forum
The common belief is that when there is a disaster people will automatically panic and flee in-mass. That when disaster strikes it is "everyman for himself" and people will push others aside and trampled over them in order to save their own life.
The following article, "Understanding Mass Panic and Other Collective Responses to Threat and Disaster"by Anthony Mawson he shares the research that establishes that the opposite is actually the truth.
Rather than fleeing to preserve themselves, people will seek out others, especially those that they have a "social attachment" to (family, friends, neighbors, coworkers) even if it puts their own life at greater risk.
After reading the article share what you think: do you agree, disagree, and why? Have you ever been in or witnessed a situation where someone put their own life at risk to help another? Share with us that story. Finally, what do you think you would do if you found yourself in a real disaster? How do you imagine you would behave?
PDF attached
2. The Key To Survival - Discussion Forum
Listen to the story, "The Key To Disaster Survival? Friends And Neighbors" by Shankar Vedantam(6 minutes).
After you have listened, answer the following questions within this discussion forum: Do you agree or disagree with what is being reported? Tell us why.
Do you have any examples like you heard in the story shared by Shankar Vedantam that you could share about how family, friends, or neighbors made the difference in a disaster or catastrophe.
3. Attachment Theory (Pioneers John Bowlby & Harry Harlow) - Discussion Forum
Read the article, "Attachment Theory" by Saul McLeod in Simply Psychology. Watch the videos within the article that explain the work of the two pioneers in the field of social attachment, John Bowlby and Harry Harlow.
After reading the McLeod article and viewing the videos, choose one of the researchers to comment on their work in a discussion thread. What did you learn, find interesting, disagree with, or have questions about. What role, if any, do you think social attachment plays during a disaster or catastrophe?