Demographics and Crisis Communication: Practical Lessons from Recent Research

• In Event: Changing Discourse: Communication in the wake of crisis

Abstract

Crisis Communication has received increased attention from Communication researchers and emergency management officials over the last few decades. Emergency managers continue to rely on undifferentiated messages aimed at general audiences, despite a substantive body of research evidence that responses will vary across ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender. The current essay reviews this literature and integrates it with other research exploring psychological responses and best practices. Practical implications are discussed, along with directions for future research.

Authors

• Kenneth Lachlan, University of Massachusetts Boston

• Patric Spence, Western Michigan University