An emerging online social network and disaster-induced collective stress

ABSTRACT

Drawing on coping and sensemaking theory, this study proposes a theoretical integration framework that links individuals’ psychological responses and adaptive behaviors with collective interests regarding social stress in disaster. Particularly in a social stress situation due to a man-made disaster, we further propose an evolving topic-based social network through the central role of retweets among people over time. To accomplish this, we examined a test case of the Sewol ferry disaster in Korea and collected retweets extracted from Twitter during the disaster from April 6, 2014 to September 30, 2014. Using topic and social network analysis, we found evidence from the emerging structure shaped by connected nodes and linkage via changes in recurrent retweets on the basis of stages of the coping and sensemaking process.

Acknowledgment

The authors gratefully acknowledge the thoughtful comments of Sabine Trepte, Editor, and anonymous reviewers. All of us here at the Paegmok port wish to express deepest our condolences to all the victims and their families feeling totally heartbroken by Sewol ferry disaster. A special word of thanks.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the The present Research has been by Research Grant of Kwangwoon University in 2018. [2018];This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2017S1A5B8060156). [NRF-2017S1A5B8060156].