Blog Functions as Risk and Crisis Communication During Hurricane Katrina

Blogs were examined during the 2 weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. city of New Orleans to better understand what risk and crisis communication functions they served. The 4 major functions—communication, political, information, and helping—included both filtering and linking about rescue needs and efforts, missing persons, ways to offer and find assistance, fostering community, and providing information on damage and government response. A thinker function was fulfilled where bloggers expressed opinions, especially on government response. An additional function not previously delineated was identified, which might be termed emotive or therapeutic. In addition, several of the blog functions indicate the role the Internet plays in maintaining a sense of community in times of crisis.     

Is the best always preferred?

Comments on G. S. Howard's (see record 1991-17124-001) article on narrative, constructive realism, and scientific "storytelling." According to Howard, the theory that best complies with the rules of scientific storytelling will be more widely endorsed. Howard referred to 3 reasons underlying the preference for a new story: (1) Research decreases a theory's predictive accuracy, (2) new theoretical developments decrease its external validity, or (3) a more powerful theory is developed that tells a more compelling story. As psychology, theories will be evaluated as literary products, and nonepistemic criteria will affect preferences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)