DefinePK

Abstract

The present study proposes the development of a complexity science-based analytical model of an integrated societal stress response to a disruptive event or a disaster. The methodology is based on the biological premise that individual human beings respond to stressors or any stimuli in variety of different ways. This individual human stress response is characterized by General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which forms the basis for model development. This individual human stress response depends on the event (internal or external) and the level of resilience in each individual. The individual human stress responses are combined to form an aggregate stress response in different cohort groups, which provides a quantitative measure of emergent behavior within that group. The aggregate or collection of these cohort group stress responses is termed as Societal Stress Response (SSR). The emergent behavior at the societal level is modeled using two kinds of conceptual modeling approaches namely Constructal-Tree Approach and Agent-Based Method. These conceptual models could be implemented to predict how the aggregated stress responses translate into a mass socio-economic behavior (or buyer behavior) with the help of an appropriate modeling approach such as System Dynamics. The transient nature of the American society and the geographical diversity is addressed using the concept of biophysical resiliency with the aid of entropy and exergy concepts from thermodynamics. The United Nations and non-governmental organizations would greatly benefit from this conceptual framework to develop a multi-dimensional strategy to deal with the maladaptive behavior in different population groups during both man-made and natural disasters.