TY - JOUR
T1 - The utility of situational theory of publics for assessing public response to a disaster prediction
AU - Major, Ann Marie
N1 - Funding Information:
Browning, who died in 1992, referred to himself as a self-taught volcanologist. Although he had earned a doctorate in physiology, there is no evidence that he had any formal training in seismology or climatology. However, he was fre-quentlyreferred t ointhepres s a s a"climat olo g"1 st ." 19 Bro w nm" gw or k ed as a business consultant for firms including Payne Webber and published a newsletter for stock market investors. The apparent credibility of Browning's prediction has been attributed to three factors. First, the prediction was supported by Dr. David Stewart, then director of the Center for Earthquake Studies at Southeast Missouri State University. 2° Second, reports claimed that Browning had accurately predicted the October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. 21 Third, on September 26, 1990, a 4.6 Richter magnitude earthquake occurred in the area. Although no damage was reported, most residents of the area felt the earthquake. Browning's 1990 New Madrid prediction provided the unusual opportunity to examine public response to a well publicized "prediction" prior to the anticipated disaster.
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - The study of public response to disasters is a relatively recent discipline that developed following the passage of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977. Because earthquake prediction is an inexact science, few formal predictions have been issued, which has limited the opportunity to study public response to predictions. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of public relations theory, specifically situational theory of publics, for assessing response to the New Madrid earthquake prediction. Situational theory demonstrates that there is not a single, general public for disaster predictions as has been assumed in studies of disaster response. Instead, multiple publics develop in response to a prediction based on how members of those publics view the situation. Contrary to previous findings that believability and personalized risk are correlated constructs, high personalized risk was associated with high constraint recognition regardless of belief in the prediction. Based on the findings, suggestions are proposed for the development of more effective messages for communicating with publics at risk.
AB - The study of public response to disasters is a relatively recent discipline that developed following the passage of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977. Because earthquake prediction is an inexact science, few formal predictions have been issued, which has limited the opportunity to study public response to predictions. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of public relations theory, specifically situational theory of publics, for assessing response to the New Madrid earthquake prediction. Situational theory demonstrates that there is not a single, general public for disaster predictions as has been assumed in studies of disaster response. Instead, multiple publics develop in response to a prediction based on how members of those publics view the situation. Contrary to previous findings that believability and personalized risk are correlated constructs, high personalized risk was associated with high constraint recognition regardless of belief in the prediction. Based on the findings, suggestions are proposed for the development of more effective messages for communicating with publics at risk.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032346381&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0032346381&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0363-8111(99)80113-1
DO - 10.1016/S0363-8111(99)80113-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0032346381
SN - 0363-8111
VL - 24
SP - 489
EP - 508
JO - Public Relations Review
JF - Public Relations Review
IS - 4
ER -