Lies, Damn Lies, and Rumors

An Analysis of Collective Efficacy, Rumors, and Fear in the Wake of Katrina

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2154667
AutoresShaun A Thomas (0000-0002-5524-9845, Louisiana State University, autor correspondente)
Ano2007
Volume27
Fascículo6
Páginas679-703
Data de publicação2007-09-27
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSociological Spectrum (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0273-2173 • E-ISSN: 1521-0707
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02732170701534200
OpenAlexW2009864591
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas17
Referências citadas35

In the days following Hurricane Katrina, many displaced residents from New Orleans evacuated to the Baton Rouge area. As a result, many Baton Rougians became increasingly concerned about crime in their community. This concern, coupled with a lack of official information, led to the widespread dissemination of rumors of criminal victimization. The purpose of this study is to examine the relations between collective efficacy, rumors, and fear during this trying time for Baton Rouge. The results are based on telephone interviews with Baton Rouge residents conducted two months after Katrina. As predicted, collective efficacy fosters the transmission of rumors. These rumors then lead to increased personal and altruistic fear of victimization; therefore, collective efficacy indirectly increases fear through its effect on rumors. The implications of these findings for public and emergency management policy are discussed as are concrete suggestions for future research

Baton rouge · Criminology · Fear of crime · Geography · Hurricane katrina · Natural disaster · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Disaster Management and Resilience · History · Law · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence · Psychology