Emotional Tides and Social Anchors: Understanding Personal Network Activation in Disaster Response

Adam Saffer, Rongting Niu (Ph.D. student) and Lucinda Austin (May 2024). “Emotional Tides and Social Anchors: Understanding Personal Network Activation in Disaster Response,” paper to be presented to PR Division of the 107th Annual AEJMC Conference, Philadelphia, USA, August 2024.

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of emotions and personal networks on disaster response, using an online survey of Hurricane Florence-impacted individuals. It integrates Protection Motivation Theory and the risk-as-feelings hypothesis to explore how threat appraisals and emotional experiences are associated with personal network activation. Findings reveal that higher perceived threats and intense emotions, except confusion, significantly increase network engagement. These insights underscore the importance of emotional and relational considerations in improving disaster resilience and recovery strategies.