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NEWS / WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
PSYCHOLOGY
In the wake of disaster: why we choose to give
KANSAN FILE PHOTO Damage from the Jan. 12 earthquake could be seen from the air over Delmas, a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince. The 7.0 earthquake left homes destroyed and thousands homeless.
BY KIRSTEN KWON kkwon@kansan.com
A little more than six months ago, Haiti was struck by a massive earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 people. As residents of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, survivors lost what little they had before the disaster. The KU community took notice, putting together charity events such as benefit concerts and clothing drives.
Now, Haiti is still in need, but the initial shock felt globally has faded. Other devastating events, such as the BP, oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, have taken some U.S. attention, but the response efforts haven't been the same. For example, Larry King raised $2 million in a telethon for oil-spill relief — far short of the $10 million he raised in a telethon for Haiti in January.
Omri Gillath, a professor of social
psychology, said several factors that contributed to the record-breaking response to Haiti were absent from oil-spill relief.
PSYCHOLOGY OF GIVING
Gillath said the act of giving could be a psychological matter that related to personal security.
"If you have a high self-esteem, you could be capable of giving," Gillath said. "If you feel like if you needed help someone would be there to help you, you're more likely to give."
Gillath said people could be less apt to contribute to the oil-spill relief because it was preventable.
"There's a lot more anger that lies with BP, and when you think about helping behavior it should be clear that you can help," Gillath said. "People want to know that their help can end people's suffering."
Gillath said people give for vari
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