Social Psychologist Creates Web Site that Explores Katrina Crisis

September 20, 2005

Leadership Studies Professor Dr. Donelson R. Forsyth has launched a Web site focused on the the social psychological implications of the Katrina Hurricane tragedy.

In "The Katrina Crisis," Forsyth acknowledges the "duty and privilege [of scholars] to respond to such crises as concerned citizens, but also as information sources and as teachers of their students."

His site links to news updates on Katrina, to analyses of the issues surrounding the event, to discussion of the quality of leadership exhibited by officials dealing with the incident, and to publications that put Katrina in “perspective and [in] context.”

Forsyth presents commentary on the social psychological consequences of the tragedy. He explains that the questions being asked in the aftermath of such an event-- such as "Why wasn't the destruction anticipated and steps taken to prevent it?" and "Why did the response proceed so slowly?" --deal with issues that are central to social psychology. He explores Katrina in relation to the misperception of risk, racial bias, perception of victims, and the long-term consequences of national disasters.

Forsyth, who holds a Ph.D. in psychology, is the Colonel Leo K. and Gaylee Thorsness Chair in Ethical Leadership at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond.

The heart of Professor's Forsyth's work is to build knowledge about why people feel, think and act as they do. An authority on group dynamics--whose text Group Dynamics is in its fourth printing--Forsyth focuses on groups' reactions to success and failure, and the interpersonal functions of groups, including small group decision making. He has studied influence, juries, mobs, crowds, clubs, cliques and leadership.

The site is located at www.richmond.edu/~dforsyth/katrina/.

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