El Niņo on Maui: Conclusions
Wendi Hauck, Ehren Hines, Denise Sobieski & John Ward
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El Niņo has been a very popular topic of discussion this year among many people worldwide. El Niņo has been blamed for many natural disasters associated with weather, and it is predicted to cause unusual weather conditions on a global scale. Prominent media resources such as The Weather Channel and Newsweek have done considerable work to alert the population to the threat of El Niņo, but their work has not progressed much further. Although there are several institutions and agencies studying and giving information on this phenomena, relatively few people have done a holistic analysis of El Niņo.
This analysis was designed to explore and examine the physical and psychological impacts of El Niņo on the island of Maui. Given Maui's on going water shortages. El Niņo has the potential to pose very serious problems for Maui, and given the psychological perspectives the population may have towards El Niņo, the problem may be multiplied. Through a discussion of these impacts, a series of possible solutions arose to deal the threat of El Niņo. Community management, education and incentives, as well as informed and educated perceptions of the phenomena may help to reduce the threat that El Niņo holds for the island of Maui. Whether or not the population of Maui is prepared to deal with El Niņo, it is coming and will have a definite impact on the island. Hopefully, the residents of Maui will heed the warnings and adjust their behaviors accordingly.
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Psy 412 Miami University. Last revised: . This document has been accessed times since July 15, 1997. Comments & Questions to R. Sherman . Also See: Social Psychology at Miami University