PSYCHOLOGY OF DISASTER

Psychology of Disaster

Psychology of Disaster

Recent psychological studies have targeted terrorism as a potential cause of psychological trauma. Research on this topic has been limited by logistic factors and the nature and frequency of these stressors. Historically, World war-II has also affected many people severely. There is evidence that people exposed to the bombing in Oklahoma City experienced significant trauma and PTSD. Susceptibility to terrorism is affected by proximity (i.e. whether an individual was there and directly affected) but people far from the epicentre of the attack can experience important psychological syndromes. Media exposure may play a significant role in this phenomenon, contributing to distress experienced far from the point of attack. Other susceptibility factors for response to terrorism remain to be studied but appear to include history of PTSD.

Lusitania Disaster

On Saturday, May 1, 1915, the Lusitania left New York bound for Liverpool, England, under the command of Captain William Turner with a crew of 702 and carrying 1,257 passengers. As the Lusitania left port, newspapers in the city carried a warning from the German government that the zone of war between Germany, Great Britain, and their respective allies included British coastal waters and that any vessels found sailing in these waters flying the flag of GB or its associates would be responsible for the devastation. On May 7, the Lusitania was sighted by U-20, commanded by Captain Schwieger, approximately twelve miles from the coast of Ireland. At 2:10 p.m. the ship was struck by a single torpedo on the starboard side, with a second explosion occurring within the vessel almost immediately. The origin and cause of the second, larger explosion has never been fully explained. (Naparstek, 2005)

The USA protested the sinking of the Lusitania, and some in President Wilson's administration feared that the U.S. protests would lead the nation into war against Germany. After an exchange of diplomatic notes, interrupted by the killing of two more Americans by German subs—Germany slowed down its attacks. After further American pressure, the Germans issued the Sussex pledge on May 4, 1916. They promised not to sink merchant ships without warning and safety provisions. This pledge pleased German political leaders, who did not want America to join the war on the Allies' side, but it angered German military leaders, who hated to give up one of their most powerful weapons. Before too long, however, the Germans would return to unrestricted submarine warfare in a desperate bid to win the war. American neutrality was severely jeopardized in May 1915 when the Germans torpedoed the British liner Lusitania, resulting in the loss of 128 American lives. The incident caused a profound reaction in the United States. (Morgan, 2009)

9/11

Attack on WTC towers was the point when the biggest war of this time erupted. The war has caused major psychological disorders among all of its stakeholders. The attacks of September 11, 2001 made clear that mass casualty terrorism is an increasingly real threat. Terror for the sake of terror can not be ...