Racial Identity-Related Differential Attributions of Inadequate Responses to Hurricane Katrina: A Social Identity Perspective

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2011

Abstract

This study examines the attribution of responsibility for the problematic response to Hurricane Katrina in the fall of 2005. Based on social identity theory, the study compared the attribution with racism and non-racism factors (situational vs. dispositional attributions) between African American and European American students (n = 505). As hypothesized, African American identity was related to greater racism attribution, even after controlling for demographics, faith factors, and cognitive-emotional reactions to the hurricanes. European American identity was associated with more executive-responsibility attributions, but the effect vanished after adjusting other factors. The study underscores the importance of acknowledging group identity rather than an overarching American identity in exploring the race effect after a national collective trauma. The consequential implications for disaster planning, future research investigation, and social service delivery are discussed. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Race and Social Problems

First Page

13

Last Page

24

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