The anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and its devastating aftermath serve as a reminder that human populations are at the mercy of an often unpredictable earth. But do these disasters compel us to prepare for the certainty of earthquakes, floods and mudslides in our own region?
A weekend course, The Psychology of Disaster, taught by Matt Davis, Ph.D., at Sonoma State University addresses the psychological issues surrounding this topic. Davis, who witnessed the aftermath of Katrina in New Orleans, has spent years researching, both in the U.S. and around the Pacific Rim, the human psychological response to disasters.
Davis is currently engaged in research studies concerning the public's perceptions of risk for tsunami hazards in northern California and for volcano hazards in the vicinity of Mt. Vesuvius in Italy. His course will focus on how people perceive their risk and whether or not they prepare for potential disasters, specifically for earthquakes here in California.
Discussion includes how people act during and in the aftermath of a disaster, such as anti-social behavior, altruism and post-traumatic stress, providing participants with a better understanding of the unique social problems posed by natural hazards.
The course, offered for academic credit, is scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 23 and Oct. 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Stevenson 3028 at a cost of $175.
For more information contact Carol Tremmel at (707) 664-2611. For registration information call SSU School of Extended Education at 707-664-2394 or visit www.sonoma.edu/exed for course description and online registration.
