Elite Panic, Japan

Synonyms

Disaster myth; Mass flight; Misconception about disaster behavior; Panic; Stampede

Definitions

Disaster myths::

Common misconceptions about disasters and disaster behavior

Panic::

Irrational emotional and/or behavioral responses triggered by sudden strong feelings of fear and/or anxiety

Elite panic::

Inappropriate disaster response by persons and/or organizations in positions of authority who panic about the possibility of panic among the general public

Introduction

People have several misconceptions about human behavior in a disaster. Such misconceptions have been known as disaster myths among disaster researchers. One of the commonest disaster myths is panic among the general public. Although empirical evidence has indicated repeatedly that panic is rare in emergency situations, many people still hold a firm belief that panic is likely to occur, particularly in a crowd of people, when a major disaster strikes (Nogami 2016).

Human Behavior in the Wake of a Disaster

Despite...