2010 - Public Relations Society of America

Understanding and respecting the ways people make risk judgments
as well as appreciating their fear and anxiety can help governments
assist their populace frame risk perceptions (and ultimately
behaviours and attitudes). Such perceptions, behaviours, and
attitudes are critical for effective communication and engagement
with the public following a major attack.” (Sheppard, et. al., 2006, p. 241).
Rogers et. al. (2007) also note the increased possibility of panic in the aftermath of terrorist
attack or an epidemic. Moreover they also claim that ineffective governmental or organizational
response may add to that panic and increase morbidity and mortality. In sum, there is a sense of
urgency for more research in the arena of fear; fear control, and panic, and public relations
scholars have the ability to greatly contribute.
Recent Trends in Public Relations Crisis Oriented Research
The roots of crisis oriented research in the field of public relations are founded on
rhetorical theory and models of organizational apologia such as those first organized by Benoit
(1995, 1997) and later modified and synthesized by others such as Coombs (Situational Crisis
Communication Theory- SCCT: Coombs 1999; 2007; 2009). The goal of these lines of research
was to categorize organizational communicative response in the face of crisis with the hope of
better identifying and/or differentiating effective communication techniques to protect and
rebuild organizational image in the face of an emerging, active, or receding crisis.
For example an examination of recent research in the area of crisis communication and
management has focused on topics such as an analysis of red cross crisis strategies based on
situational crisis communication theory (Zoch, Collins, Sisco, 2010), image repair in politics
(Sheldon & Salllot, 2009), in the Chinese Governments efforts in the aftermath of the “Made in
China crisis” (Cai, Lee, & Pang, 2009), in the Chinese governments efforts in the aftermath
earthquake (Chen 2009), in the Chinese governments handling of SARS (Zhang & Benoit,
2009) and in fraud crises ( Caldiero, Taylor, & Ungureanu, 2009), as well as many others.
In the past 20 years, crisis oriented public relations research has heavily focused on these
two theoretical and conceptual models that focus on protecting and repairing organizational
image. Avery, Lariscy, Kim, & Hocke (2010) report the results of a quantitative content analysis
and review of public relations crisis communication literature from 1991 to 2009. The authors
note that an analysis of the existing research in the field finds that the majority of research in the
public relations crisis literature focused on or was performed using either Benoit’s Image
Restoration typology or Coombs Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). This metaanalysis
examined 66 published articles across the 18 year time period and found that most of the
most of the research (86%) focused on organizations/individual response and image restoration
or repair. Avery, Lariscy, Kim, & Hocke, conclude by calling for more diversity in public
relations research into the areas of crisis communication and management and note that more of
it should be prescriptive as opposed to descriptive. Coombs (2009) makes a similar call for more
research, but also notes that such research should offer empirical research oriented support for
response recommendations.
While recent public relations research that examines multiple factors that would reduce
fear or panic in the event of a disaster such as a terrorist CBRN (Chemical, Biological,
Radiological, Nuclear) attack is not common, some research has been undertaken in this
direction. For example, Avery and Kim (2009) examined the practices and media releases of
health organizations such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), DHHS (Department of
Health and Human Services) and the WHO (World Health Organization) in response to the threat
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