CERT CERT Terrorism Awareness & Disaster Psychology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a common emotional reaction that survivors experience immediately after a major disaster?
- Immediate and complete recovery within 24 hours
- Feeling of shock, disbelief, and emotional numbness (Correct answer)
- Increased appetite and energy levels
- Complete absence of fear or anxiety
Correct answer: Feeling of shock, disbelief, and emotional numbness
Common emotional reactions to disasters include shock, disbelief, and emotional numbness as survivors process the traumatic event.
Question 2: Which behavior pattern do disaster survivors typically exhibit in the heroic phase?
- Depression and withdrawal from social contact
- Altruism and willingness to help others despite personal loss (Correct answer)
- Anger and hostility toward emergency responders
- Complete denial that a disaster occurred
Correct answer: Altruism and willingness to help others despite personal loss
In the heroic phase, disaster survivors commonly exhibit altruistic behavior, working to help others even at personal risk or despite their own losses.
Question 3: What is 'convergence behavior' in disaster response?
- CERT teams converging on the incident command post
- Large numbers of people spontaneously moving toward the disaster site (Correct answer)
- Emergency vehicles arriving simultaneously
- Survivors gathering at evacuation centers
Correct answer: Large numbers of people spontaneously moving toward the disaster site
Convergence behavior refers to the spontaneous movement of large numbers of people — volunteers, media, and curious onlookers — toward a disaster site.
Question 4: How should CERT volunteers approach disaster survivors who are visibly distressed?
- Tell them to calm down and focus on the situation
- Avoid all contact to prevent making things worse
- Provide calm, compassionate presence and active listening (Correct answer)
- Immediately refer them to professional counselors
Correct answer: Provide calm, compassionate presence and active listening
CERT volunteers should provide calm, compassionate presence and active listening to help distressed survivors feel heard and supported.
Question 5: What phase follows the 'honeymoon phase' in disaster recovery?
- The heroic phase
- The disillusionment phase (Correct answer)
- The reconstruction phase
- The pre-disaster phase
Correct answer: The disillusionment phase
The disillusionment phase follows the honeymoon phase when initial optimism fades, resources run out, and the full extent of loss becomes apparent.
Question 6: What is 'disaster shock' in the context of disaster psychology?
- Electrical shock from downed power lines
- A normal response where victims feel stunned and unable to process events (Correct answer)
- A physical medical condition requiring hospitalization
- A CERT training technique for simulating emergencies
Correct answer: A normal response where victims feel stunned and unable to process events
Disaster shock is a normal psychological response where victims feel stunned, dazed, or unable to process events immediately following a disaster.
CERT CERT Terrorism Awareness & Disaster Psychology 2
What is a common emotional reaction that survivors experience immediately after a major disaster?