Variability in Twitter Content Across the Stages of a Natural Disaster: Implications for Crisis Communication

Patric R. Spence, Kenneth A. Lachlan, Xialing Lin, Maria del Greco

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

179 Scopus citations

Abstract

Little is known about the ways in which social media, such as Twitter, function as conduits for information related to crises and emergencies. The current study analyzed the content of over 1,500 Tweets that were sent in the days leading up to the landfall of Hurricane Sandy. Time-series analyses reveal that relevant information became less prevalent as the crisis moved from the prodromal to acute phase, and information concerning specific remedial behaviors was absent. Implications for government agencies and emergency responders are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)171-186
Number of pages16
JournalCommunication Quarterly
Volume63
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 15 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Communication

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