The Information Behavior of Disaster Survivors

7/29/2019 The Information Behavior of Disaster Survivors

1/42

+Iowa City, IA

June 2008

*The names of the individuals weinterviewed were changed in order to

maintain anonymity


2/42

+

The Information Behaviorof Disaster Survivors

LIS 510 Autumn 2010


3/42

+

Group OneRiley Donelson Edmonds, WA

Elly Krumwiede Seattle, WA

Kimberly Powers Lakewood, CO


4/42

+Questions for the Discussion Board

How do you definedisaster?

How do you use the worddisaster in your everyday

language?

The Information Behavior ofDisaster Survivors


5/42

+What is a Disaster?

A sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, ordestruction; broadly: a sudden or great misfortune orfailure (Merriam-Webster)

Disasters can include: Personal accidents Epidemics Financial disasters Natural disasters Man-made disasters such as acts of terrorism

Group One focused on survivors of natural disasters thatresulted in some property damage regardless of age, sex, orethnic group impacted


6/42

+The Disaster Life Cycle

Prepare

Disaster

Respond

RecoverMitigate

Reduce

Prevent


7/42

+

Websites toExplore

Federal Emergency Management Agency United Nations Office for the

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

National Disaster Education Coalition National Geographic (photos and video) National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administrations National Weather Service

University of Colorado Natural HazardsCenter


8/42

+Why are Disaster Survivors

Relevant to Us?

Group one believes thatinformation professionals

may be part of bridging the

gap between needs andsolutions related to natural

disaster

Natural disasters canhappen

Anywhere To anyoneAnytime


9/42

+

Literature Review


10/42

+Literature Review

Where we looked: Dissertation databases Google Scholar University of Colorado HazLit University of Washington Libraries

Some search terms we used: Disaster / crisis + information behavior, informatics, information

needs, information seeking, information retrieval, information use,and library

What we found: A gap in literature covering the full disaster life cycle that also links

natural disaster survivors with information systems

What we asked you to read: The Global Disaster Information Network


11/42

+Theme One

As Maslow once put it: We can seek knowledge in order toreduce anxiety and we can also avoid knowing in order to

reduce anxiety. He recognized that sometimes we wouldrather not know that we are at a high risk for a disease or

disaster (Case, Andrews, Johnson, & Allard, 2005, p. 354)

Systems may play a role in creating an environment wheredisaster survivors feel they need to filter (Teich, Wagner,

Mackenzie, & Schafer, 2002)

Survivors of disaster may actively filter or avoidinformation before, during, or even after a disaster


12/42

+Theme Two

Moreover, interpersonal channels were of more importanceto minorities when compared with Caucasians. This suggeststhat if concern for the evacuation and safety does exist, thengovernment agencies need to work with minority communityleaders to create programs that will use existinginterpersonal networks to plan and educate for issues ofevacuation (Spence, Lachlan, & Griffin, 2007, p. 550)

We see new roles and functions emerging as people,including those in the geographical space of the disaster aswell as those outside it, go online to provide, seek and brokerinformation (Palen, Vieweg, Sutton, Liu, & Hughes, 2007, p. 2)

Disaster relief agencies often depend on the mediato carry their message, but survivors of disaster may

find informal sources of information just as helpful as

formal sources of information


13/42

+Theme Three

Frequently, too, while the information may be accurate anduseful to one type of disaster manager, its format may be oflittle value to another expert fighting the same sort of

emergency (Roeder, 1999, p. 25)

They have not developed a trust or understanding of oneanothers abilities, and the totality of resources they each

bring to bear have never before been exercised (Van deWalle and Turoff, 2008, p. 295)

Distrust develops quickly when disaster reliefagencies and governments do not provide accurate

or relevant information


14/42

+Anomalies & Emerging Areas of

Study

Crisis informatics Post-disaster information seeking behavior: Recovery Relief Rebuilding

The Information Behavior of Disaster Survivors


15/42

+

Fieldwork


16/42

+Methodology - Interviews

Survivors Tornado: Windsor, CO May 2008 Flood: Cedar Rapids, IA June 2008 Flood: Davenport, IA June 2008 Flood: Iowa City, IA June 2008

Agencies King County Office of Emergency Management Red Cross of King and Kitsap County Colorado Division of Emergency Management


17/42

+Methodology Content Analysis

A prominent text on content analysis explainshow any artifact of communication

newspapers, journal articles, books, speeches,

letters, songs, paintings might be analyzed to

understand themes and orientations

(Krippendorff, 1980)

Content analysis - Tornado: Windsor, CO -May 22, 2008

Reviewed the content of 15 articles 10 were from news sources (paper and TV) 5 were recovery reports from the City of Windsor


18/42

+

ColoradoTornado - 2008

Survivors

Iowa

Flood - 2008


19/42

+Questions for Discussion Board

If you were to experience a disaster, where would you lookfor information first?



20/42

+Information Behaviors - Survivors

Informal information sources We relied heavily on anybody we could think of...So

we really got our best help from other libraries. Wetalked to everybody at every library we could think ofor researched that been through a disaster.~ Disaster survivor

Information overload and avoidance I wasnt sure what all the stuff was that was being

offered and whether we would even need it. Im notsure if they werent explaining it or if I was just sooverwhelmed I couldnt comprehend it. ~Disaster survivor

Mistrust of agencies it was really frustrating working with FEMA and

the government, you always kind of have to haggle toget what you need from them or whatever.~ Disaster survivor

After was more difficult than the tornado itself.~ Disaster survivor


21/42

+

King County Office of

Emergency Management

Colorado Division of

Emergency Management

Agencies

Red Cross of King &

Kitsap County


22/42

+Information Behaviors - Agencies

Reliance on media to carry their message maybe we need to reach a younger demographic and

they primarily get their information online, or throughtexting, or through other kinds of social media angles. Somaybe we should have a Facebook, maybe we shouldTweet this. ~ Representative of a disaster managementagency

Building partnerships in communities if you dont build those relationships ahead of time and

get them on board, then when theres an emergency andthey need to act now, when hours could make thedifference for safety, we try to rely on those built innetworks ~ Representative of a disaster managementagency

Becoming a subject of mistrust Some cultures will only take information from their

established leadership. I could say something, butbecause Im not a part of that tribe, even if Im the nicestperson in the world, and they might receive me well, theywill take as an authority that same message from their

leader. ~ Representative of a disaster management agency


23/42

+

Tornado -Windsor, CO

Content

Analysis


24/42

+Information Behavior Content

AnalysisAgencies believe they provide enough

information

the [Long Term Recovery Team has] providedlinks necessary to ensure citizens are beingoffered help on an individual basis during their

recovery efforts. ~ Windsor City Report - 6months

Media Reports focus on damage Of the 10 news articles reviewed only 3 reported

information that would have been helpful tosurvivors

Media coverage drops off considerably 7 of the 10 news articles were within the first

couple of months with almost half of those in thefirst 3 days


25/42


Should agencies rely so heavily on media forcommunication?

What happens when the media is no longer interested andpeople still need information?



26/42

+

Theories

Belkin - ASK

Dervin - Sense-Making

Johnson - CMIS


27/42

+ Theories - ASK

Agencies: Conceptual State of Knowledge and Information

effective communication of desired information between humangenerator and human user (Belkin, 1977, p. 22)

Survivors: Anomalous State of Knowledge Anomaly was used explicitly to indicate that this state of inadequacy could

be due not only to lack of knowledge, but many other problems, such asuncertainty as to which of several potentially relevant concepts holds insome situation (Theories, 2009, p. 44-45)


28/42

+ Theories Sense-Making

Sense-making sees information as something that isconstructed internally in order to address discontinuities in

life. This approach uncovers the problems that people

experience in life and how they face those obstructions (Case,

2009 p. 158)

Identify information gaps Make sense of the information they find


29/42

+ Theories CMIS

Social Networks who do I now who might know the

answer to my questions, or know how

to find out? (Case, 2009, p. 133)

Personal Relevance Factors ignoring, which often happens when

an individual consciously knows that a

problem exists, but chooses not to

confront it (p.56) (Case, 2009, p. 134).

Utilities:

As Johnson highlights (p.101), whatinformation seekers are concerned

about is the content of the information,

not the channel through which it

arrives (Case, 2009, p. 134)


30/42


Based on what you know of our disaster survivors, what othertheories might apply to the model of their information

behavior?

How might you use the theories we have identified to create amodel of information behavior for disaster survivors?



31/42

+

Summary and

Synthesis ofFindings


32/42

+Model of Information Seeking

Behaviors

The victim indentifies their needs The results will be evaluated If not satisfied, the victim will try formal sources or consult an

information professional

The results will be evaluated

Good information is directed back at informal network

At any point the victim may be satisfied and take action orgive up on the process


33/42

Victim: Identify

Need

Motivations

Priorities

Avoidance

Agencies FormalSources

InformationProfessionals

InformalSources

Evaluate

for

Relevance

Take Action Give Up


34/42

+Theme One

There is a disconnect between the ways information isprovided and how it is sought

Agencies primarily use the media to provide informationduring a disaster, and this information is usually focused on

description and damage

Survivors often feel dissatisfied with media coverage andturn back to informal sources

Recovery is not addressed enough by the media.

Survivors arent always satisfied with the waysagencies partner with the media


35/42

+Theme Two

Survivors cant process all the information they haveexposure to

Survivors try to prioritize information, absorbing what theyneed and avoiding what they dont

With survival in mind, survivors may avoid information thatdoesnt seem relevant at the time, but will later be important

Conflicting information from agencies will develop distrust

Survivors suffer from information overload


36/42

+Theme Three

No access to internet and formal communications Past experiences Informal networkAmount of education received prior to disaster

Information behavior is influenced by priorexperience and access to communication tools


37/42

+Questions for the Discussion Board

What other variables mightinfluence the information seeking

behavior of disaster survivors?

What are some additional waysagencies could reach people?



38/42

+

Implications for

Professional

Practice, SystemDesign, and Policy


39/42

+Library as Information Provider

Librarians can become disaster experts if needed Physical libraries can become shelters for local communities Librarians can observe and evaluate information behavior to

prepare for the future

Libraries can provide resources like the internet for peopleto conduct their own searches


40/42

+Design and Delivery of Information

Services

Media should do their best to ensure that the informationthey provide is current and does not conflict with media

information sources

Agencies should seek methods beyond commercial media,and government agencies should purchase airtime after the

disaster is over to provide recovery information

Agencies should conduct more research on the results oftheir methods


41/42

Needs: Users Tasks: Information

professionals

Tasks:Agencies

Before a

Disaster

Education before a

disaster: disaster

kits, safety

instructions,

eather

predictions.

Gather and update

information.

Respond to

inquiries.

Teach classes, create

preparedness and safety

campaigns. Partner with

communities. Gather and

update information. Raise

awareness.

During a

Disaster

Up to date

information on howto respond to a

disaster: shelter,

evacuation, safety.

Make relevant

information readilyavailable. Possibly

assist victims by

partnering with

disaster relief

organizations

Give press conferences to

media sources, mobilizeteams that assist disaster

ictims, publish accurate,

relevant information in a

timely manner.

After aDisaster Information onrecovery: insurance

claims, etc.

Remain availableeven after the media

is tired of covering

the disaster. Learn

from process and

update methods for

future use.

Continue to provideinformation and support

through media and other

channels. Learn from process

and update methods for

future use.


42/42

+

Next Steps

Thank you for viewing ourpresentation


Documents

The Information Behavior of Disaster Survivors