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Emotional and behavioural reactions to tremors of the Umbria‐Marche earthquake
Author(s) -
Prati Gabriele,
Catufi Valeria,
Pietrantoni Luca
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
disasters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.744
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1467-7717
pISSN - 0361-3666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7717.2011.01264.x
Subject(s) - prosocial behavior , looting , psychology , context (archaeology) , coping (psychology) , poison control , worry , suicide prevention , human factors and ergonomics , social psychology , forensic engineering , applied psychology , engineering , medicine , clinical psychology , medical emergency , psychiatry , history , political science , anxiety , law , archaeology
This is a study of 100 citizens of Fabriano, Italy, who experienced an earthquake. Results of a structured interview provide information on their emotional and behavioural reactions during and immediately after the earthquake as well as descriptions of the context. Respondents identify their coping responses during the earthquake as taking flight, freezing, taking shelter, failing to realize what was happening, reaching and protecting significant others, seeking information from the social environment, and recovering personal belongings. Moreover, in the aftermath of the earthquake, the most common responses were: evacuation, returning to houses, reuniting with family members, undertaking activities, observing the scene, recovering personal belongings, meeting in groups, and continuing activities. Respondents describe their emotional reactions as fear, helplessness, worry, and terror. Prosocial behaviour was frequent and looting did not occur. Emotional and cognitive reactions were influenced by environmental and social factors.