Disaster Relief as Social Action: A Weberian Look at Post-Disaster Donation Behavior

• In Event: 277 - Section on Collective Behavior and Social Movements Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 10. Social Psychology and Movements

Abstract

Despite the potential benefits outside contributions can provide to disaster relief (Tierney 2003), material convergence can create substantial challenges for the relief effort, including arrival of donations that are perishable, inappropriate, or potentially useful but arrive in a form (such as loose cans instead of pallets) that create storage and sorting problems for relief workers (Neal 1993; Neal 1994). Given the disconnect between what and how much is needed versus the type and volume of donations given, there is a need to understand why people participate in disaster relief. The variety of groups who donate also calls for examination of motivational differences between these groups and its effect on donations. This research examines data collected in field observations and interviews with donations drive operators responding to Superstorm Sandy, Boston Marathon Bombing, West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion, and the May 2013 Oklahoma tornados using Weber’s ideal type of social action to understand motivations for engaging in disaster relief. Data indicate that participating in disaster relief is a social action, and that it falls into different categories of social action for different groups. Affective action and value rational action emerged more frequently among groups not typically engaged in disaster relief. A variety of groups, including those with more exposure to disaster work, or whose relief efforts were a continuation of their non-disaster activity exhibited instrumentally rational action. Decisions regarding the decision to participate often fit different types of social actions than decisions as to what to donate or who to contribute to.

Authors

• Samantha Penta, University of Delaware

• Mary Nelan, University of Delaware

• Tricia Wachtendorf, University of Delaware