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American Indian Worldviews, Risk Perceptions and Disaster Planning: an Exploratory Study

It is commonly assumed that when confronted with an imminent hazard that people will react rationally, and prepare for, or at least attempt to avoid, danger from pending disasters. However, this conventional wisdom is not as evident as it appears. People prepare for, react to, or take social action to avoid hazards when they perceive the risk of danger to be threatening enough to warrant action, providing one has the will, insight and resources to do so. However, not all people perceive risks similarly. Risk is perceived differently by different people which affects risk perception and responses to hazards. This dissertation explores the relationships between American Indian worldviews, risk perceptions and disaster planning. To carry out this research 28 American Indians were interviewed. The sample consists of 14 American Indians residing in a rural are on the northern plains and 14 urban American Indians. The results only partially support that worldview is linked to risk perception and subsequent disaster planning. Other factors found to relate to risk perception and disaster planning for this non-representative sample of American Indians include various forms of social vulnerability.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc407742
Date12 1900
CreatorsBales, Rodney A.
ContributorsDash, Nicole, McCoy, Brenda, Tomhave, Jonathan, Rodeheaver, Daniel G.
PublisherUniversity of North Texas
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
FormatText
RightsPublic, Bales, Rodney A., Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved.

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