News

Media to blame for panic buying

Published 29 March 2012

Media reporting of panic buying may fuel the sudden queues at petrol stations more than any industrial action, according to an expert in crowd behaviour.

Dr Christopher Cocking, a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing at University of Brighton who specialises in the psychology of crowd behaviour, said the media have a responsibility to be more considered in how they report the threat of industrial action by fuel tanker drivers over pay and conditions.

Talk of panic buying hit the headlines yesterday after Cabinet Secretary Francis Maude reportedly said that people should fill up Jerry cans of petrol to avoid running out.

The media have drawn parallels with the fuel crisis of 2000 when oil refineries were blockaded. Dr Cocking says, however, that it was not industrial action that caused the crisis, but fears of fuel shortages which caused people to fill up their tanks en masse and petrol stations to run out of supplies. Ironically, he said, there is now talk of a similar fuel crisis before any strike action has even begun. He emphasised the importance of providing accurate information in emergency situations.

In a blog on the subject, he said: "What may seem to an outsider as irrational 'panic-buying', may seem like a very sensible thing to do to each individual, as they may fear that if they don't stock up, they risk going without. This is a very good example of a social dilemma, in that what is in an individual's own interest may not be good for the collective interest. This is an area where more responsible reporting by the media could play a part, because reporting that 'panic-buying' is occurring can encourage people to act in their own short-term interest rather than the greater good. Therefore, perhaps instead of reporting outbreaks of 'panic-buying' the media should instead report that stocks will remain sufficient just so long as people don't try to hoard as much as they can in the misplaced fear that there will be shortages."

Dr Cocking researches how people behave in emergencies and issues such as panic buying. He has previously commented, for instance, on the evacuation of the Costa Concordia and last year's riots.

He said "myths" about panic-stricken behaviour among crowds often seem based more on fictional stereotypes than the facts. For instance, he said there was no evidence that passengers on the Costa Concordia panicked, despite reports. He added that similarly there is no data to support assertions that protesters can be incited to violence by others in the absence of other contextual factors.

His blog can be found at dontpaniccorrectingmythsaboutthecrowd.blogspot.co.uk