ABSTRACT
Abstract: In this chapter we review the original theory of “threat rigidity” as proposed in 1981 by Staw and co-workers and discuss additional insights made in the accumulated literature to the present day. Research has shown that in response to a threat, organizations, groups, and individuals often respond in rigid, habitual ways. While there are times that such learned responses can be effective, in the face of a large, unforeseen, new threat, rigidity of response is often maladaptive. Based upon this review of the literature about the threat rigidity thesis, we will review literature that leads us to propose a model of an individual’s cognitive responses to threat and present a set of recommendations how best to avoid the adverse effects of the threat rigidity syndrome in the emergency management and business continuity environments.
