The study of how humans respond to disasters is a phenomenon one can study by examining diverse source documents created and preserved throughout human history thus far. In ancient times, disasters were seen through the lens of supernormal explanations.
The term "disaster myth" has been created to describe the belief that people will behave in a groundless, uncontrolled, and even extreme manner outside of normal and accepted social standards despite evidence that proponents state proves otherwise. Proponents of the term further state that people will only act irrationally in the direst of circumstances when terrible danger is imminent and no avenue of escape appears available. They argue that these disaster myths have a negative impact when they cause people, officials, and disaster-relief organizations to make detrimental or incorrect disaster planning and response decisions.
Panic/Fear
It is often considered that people develop an illogical fear in the face of a disaster. In turn, this fear becomes infectious, causing people to flee without thinking and in a chaotic manner that could hurt those around them.
However, the opposite is also often observed. Even when experiencing the increased stress from an earthquake, since they arrive unannounced and it is not known when the aftershocks will end, people continue to act rationally. Not only do a few people panic, but most are also unwilling to participate in an organized evacuation. Those who live in the disaster area tend to stay put. The only ones who usually flee are the visitors, tourists, and transients. Disasters also draw people to the area. Some want to help, while others just want to see the destruction.
The general public and organizations involved in emergency planning, management, and response all tend to accept this disaster myth as reality. Panic can cause harm to others if people flee without thought. Staying put can be even worse since the people are not getting away from the disaster's damage and destruction. When necessary, people should evacuate in an orderly manner to avoid disasters. It also provides an opportunity to help others evacuate who may need assistance. The myth of panic can cause officials to be cautious when issuing public bulletins. Officials may wait too long to provide information on which the populace should act because they do not want to incite or amplify the perceived panic. To avoid contributing to or increasing the level of this mythical panic, officials have also chosen not to share information about preparations for some types of disasters (e.g., chemical and biological attacks).
The antithesis of the panic myth was seen with Orson Welles' The War of the Worlds radio broadcast in 1938, the 1942 Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire, and as Hurricane Carla approached the Gulf Coast areas of Texas and Louisiana in 1961. Rational behavior also dominated after earthquakes in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Despite many reports of widespread panic, evidence later proved otherwise. The myth of panic affecting the official warnings of authorities has been seen in Mexico when the Rio Grande River flooded, in Italy during the flooding of the city of Florence, and after a volcanic eruption in Japan. In the instances when authorities chose to send the military instead of humanitarian organizations in response to Hurricane Katrina, it was in part to help manage and control the perceived panic among the population.
Shock
Many people believe that those who experience a disaster firsthand experience emotional trauma that has both immediate and lasting effects. It is thought that the initial devastation of the disaster leaves people too fragile and in shock. As such, they are unable to cope with their situation or participate in recovery efforts. They are consequently dependent on assistance from outside relief agencies.