Natural Disasters: Altruism, Interests, and Opportunities

Abstract

Adversities are mostly investigated and debated according to their negative impacts and to the emergency action they demand. This article presents the results of research on the paradoxical potentialities (positive externalities) that might emerge from them. Its main approach is provided by interviews with local agents responding to the 2011 Disaster in the State of Rio de Janeiro and by international aid agencies. The main topics discussed here are: solidarity as an asset that goes beyond altruism, the distinguished role of the media and the state as regulator agents of such solidarity, and the increasing importance of international aid agencies. This empirical study is based on a series of interviews with selected international aid agencies according to their global activity and volume of resources administered. The conclusions indicate that potentialities may be recognized as real assets in post-disaster action; however, they are not easily understood by policymakers.

How do people support each other in emergencies? A qualitative exploration of altruistic and prosocial behaviours during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Besides helping the disaster communities through material resources such as donation (Zagefka et al., 2012 ), accommodation, and medical supplies (Kaniasty & Norris, 1999 ), various types of altruistic and prosocial behaviors can be observed (e.g., psychological and emotional help; Strelau & Zawadzki, 2005 ). When authorities do not provide enough assistance, adversities put people into an emergency action plan, resulting in solidarity and increased importance of aid (Ultramari & Szuchman, 2017 ). This first reason behind prosocial and altruistic behavior may be sharing an identity, which brings about a sense of “we‐ness.” In emergency settings, shared identity enhances unanimity, help for one another, and solidarity (Drury et al., 2019 , 2009a ).…”