title: Emotions and beliefs after a disaster: a comparative analysis of Haiti and Indonesia.
abstract: A number of studies have examined emotional and belief responses following a disaster, yet there has been limited comparative analysis of responses to disasters in different places. This paper reviews the results of 366 questionnaires that evaluated key emotional and belief concepts in Haiti after the earthquake on 12 January 2010 (n=212) and in Indonesia after the earthquake in Yogyakarta on 27 May 2006 (n=154). The results indicate significant differences between the responses in the two settings, particularly in relation to feelings of impunity, self-blame for the disaster, regret about pre-earthquake behaviour, and a sense of justice in the world. Furthermore, the impacts of age, education, and gender on responses also were different in the two case study sites. Overall, the results suggest that understanding the cultural, religious, and social contexts of different disaster locales is important in comprehending the emotions and beliefs that manifest themselves in the wake of a major disaster.
authors.affiliation: Post-Doctoral Fellow, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.affiliation: Research Associate, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Roger P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.affiliation: Director, The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D003469:Culture; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D004644:Emotions; D006205:Haiti; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Haiti; Indonesia; beliefs; disaster responses; earthquake; emotions; psychology; religion