Analysis of Helping Behaviors - Essay Example

Analysis of helping behaviors Hurricane Katrina is regarded as one of the most deadly storms that has ever happened in the United States in recent times. Reported data shows that about 2000 people died from the disaster and the ensuing floods (Rosenberg, 2006). The number of persons who were rendered homeless was slightly over a million (Rosenberg, 2006). This was along the coast of New Orleans which was the most affected regions. In fact, most of New Orleans as well as Mississippi were left submerged under water.

Environmental economists estimated that the storm caused physical damages to the tune of over $70 billion (Rosenberg, 2006). Other effects of the hurricane were unemployment, limited tourism activities, and reduced farm produce among other negative effects. Several aids were given to the natives before and after the disaster. For instance, a day before the storm, the National Guard among other state disaster preparedness and response team engaged their top efforts to keep people away from areas that were predicted to be affected by the storm.

The local authorities also played a role in evacuating local communities from disaster struck areas. Furthermore, several emergency shelters were made along the US coast. Different organizations provided several materialistic, financial and emotional aids to the victims of the hurricane. Red Cross was tasked with offering medical services to the victims in areas which bore the brunt most. This was mainly in New Orleans where the impact was great. In times of disasters, people exhibit different social behaviors.

Some antisocial behaviors were portrayed when there were insufficient resources to rescue people during the disaster. For instance, the then governor, Blanco, did not sign an emergency proposition that would compel school buses to transport the storm victims to safer grounds. Heroic moments came, for instance, when Jabbar Gibson, a youthful man, took the matter personally and decided to evacuate about 70 people on a school bus. Looting as an antisocial activity was evident in several regions hit by the hurricane and floods.

Consumer goods more like food, electronics appliances, furniture among other goods were taken by the looters. Organized gangs made up of youths with bad criminal records broke into larger stores before getting away with expensive machineries. Another group of unharmed youths broke into smaller stores before getting away with cheap commodity like food, cloth ware and foot ware among other commodities. There are perspective, theories, and concepts associated with helping hurricane Katrina victims.

Evolutionary perspective was portrayed by reduced lootings in certain areas like Florida where the natives regarded looting as an activity of the past. Business stores like hardware and supermarkets were never tampered after the disaster. Social cultural perspective was evident when several non-governmental organizations and state agencies took the initiatives to revive the cultural and social establishes which were damaged following the disaster. New Orleans museum of arts together with New Orleans Opera among other cultural institutions were revived.

Learning perspective was demonstrated when the national guard responsible for disaster preparedness and response provided disaster related trainings to the US natives. Furthermore, counseling sessions were organized to the victims who lost their loved ones and property. (Rosenberg, 2006) There were no government policies that limited the help of the disaster victims; the states through local authorities did all that could be done to assist the victims. Several state agencies partnered with several non-governmental organizations to offer free medical services and fundamental human needs to the victims.

Such nonprofit organizations were St. Johns ambulance as well as AMREF. Christian based organizations like World Vision also assisted the storm victims by offering financial aids among other help. To summarize, there were several pro-social activities to assist the hurricane Katrina disaster victims. The citizens took initiatives to assist their fellows who were injured or who lost property due to the disaster. They were backed up by other government agencies and nonprofit organizations in providing aid to the victims.

However, there were no major antisocial activities except few lootings that were demonstrated in few states affected by the storm or floods. References Rosenberg M.,Turner R. H. (2006). Social Psychology: Sociological Perspectives. USA: Transactions Publishers.