The psychology of looting

Filed in archive News on September 2, 2005

ABC News looks at why people loot:

And there has been looting and lawlessness, from residents taking food, diapers and other necessities from abandoned grocery stores to people lugging TV sets and beer in areas not submerged in dirty floodwater. The dispersion of 10,000 additional National Guard troops to maintain order did little to soothe increasingly angry Katrina refugees who have endured no running water, sweltering conditions and stench in the Superdome or otherwise suffered as they waited for authorities to come to their rescue.

"When you have a situation as extreme as Katrina, people have lost their sense of security, control, protection and shelter," said David Sattler, associate professor of psychology at Western Washington University. "They fall into basic rules of survival mode. Some feel that they're going to do what they need to do to survive. They're going to do what they need to do to get the basic necessities."