A six-digit code could tell how someone would fair in a nuclear attack (Image: Getty)
The Iran war and the ongoing saga in Ukraine have led to heightened fears in recent weeks about whether World War III is about to begin, or even if it has already begun. An attempted missile attack on the US-UK military base in Diego Garcia over the weekend has further fanned the flames, with Israel suggesting the Middle Eastern country now has the capability to attack the UK.
In fact, terrifying maps have emerged that show Iran’s new alleged missile range could hit 54 countries if it is accurate. With all this in mind, people might want to get an idea of how safe they would be if a nuclear war broke out. A simple psychology tool known as the 10-80-10 rule can help someone deal with an attack. according to theory psychology todayOutlines three different ways people might react in the event of nuclear war.
According to John Leach, each part of the 10-80-10 rule represents a percentage of the population and how they would react in response to nuclear war.
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The theory is that most people will react the same way. (Image: Getty)
The first 10 percent, seen as the optimal phase, are those who consider the situation inevitable, anticipate the situation and remain calm during a nuclear conflict. These 10 percent, in theory, will not act until they fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.
The second group, 80 percent, would be “stunned and dazed” according to John, meaning the rational functioning part of the psyche would be impaired by impending nuclear war. Despite this, the group still has a chance to overcome the jitters to take the logical next step.
The most worrisome part of this triad is the last 10 percent who, according to the theory, will give up completely and begin to act in ways that are counterproductive to the situation.
In the very unlikely event that nuclear war breaks out, studies show that the first 10 percent who act have the most difference in survival.
While nuclear war, given the threats of mutually assured destruction, is a remote possibility, the possibility of non-nuclear conflict is of great concern in Europe as European leaders begin the process of preparing their populations for possible war.
For example, speaking in the Polish parliament, Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that they had to “be prepared for a conflict on the scale that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers saw”.
Sikorski, a member of the centre-left coalition government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, previously touched on the threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia and warned that Poland should prepare for a war of the same scale as World War I and World War II.
He said, “Putin does not want peace, only surrender. If Ukraine loses, the threat from Russia will not only not decrease, but on the contrary will increase.”
His comments come as questions are raised about Britain’s own war preparedness after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed Iran had missiles capable of attacking London.
Despite the threat, people such as former RAF Air Vice-Marshal Sean Bell have said that although the UK is vulnerable, the chances of this happening are “very low”.
He told the BBC: “Even if we could track it, it would be able to attack us. Now, I think the chances of that happening are quite low.”
