Department of Psychology
Dr John Drury
j.drury@sussex.ac.uk
Feb
- 05
May-06
CROWD BEHAVIOUR AND SOCIAL IDENTITY
Crowd conflict
Crowd evacuation #1
Crowd evacuation
Simulation studies
Social Identity Model
Rationale
Technology/ design
Crowd conflict arises when:
(a) crowd and outside forces (e.g., the police)
have differing conceptions of legitimacy
(b) the action of the police serves to unite
otherwise disparate fragments of a physical
crowd.
Crowd conflict is limited by participants’ social
identities, which define appropriate conduct.
To examine how, when and why crowd
evacuation behaviour is social & co-operative.
1. Role play room evacuation experiments
2. Visualization
Background
Results
Social and asocial models. Applicability of
Social Identity Model to explain co-ordination
amongst strangers in crowds.
Some impact of shared identity.
Problem of psychological engagement
Applications
Urban riots, demonstrations, protest events.
Partners
Practical applications
Evacuation from stadia, buildings etc.
Informing design and emergency procedures
ESRC, University of St Andrews, University
of Nottingham (Computer Science,
Chemical Engineering)
Crowd behaviour and social identity – further research
Crowd evacuation #2
Interviews with survivors
Please insert
images within
the relevant
frame + Visu
Crowd flow and spatiality
The experience of crowding
Post-event support
The events
Design
Design
Design
Stadia and events disasters and near
disasters, fires, explosions
Combining psychological models,
Artificial Intelligence and mathematical
computer models.
Experimental studies manipulating
identity and crowding
Interview and survey of disaster
survivors on experiences of collective
support.
Existing applications
Situations of crowding are tolerated or
even enjoyed where people share a
common identity
Results
Shared threat creates shared identity
and hence mutual concern and
helping.
Visualizations of reconstructions,
mathematic models of crowd flow.
Recommendations
1. Abandon the ‘panic’ model in
emergency procedures.
2. Inform the public
3. Enhance public solidarity
Opportunities for companies
Public building and space design,
public transport design: collaborative
R&D, funded projects, endorsement.
Initial findings
Hypotheses
Group processes and social identity
can mitigate Post Traumatic Stress.
Opportunities for companies
Opportunities for companies
Stadia, public transport managers,
Health & Safety managers:
collaborative R&D, consultancy.
Emergency services, health services:
studentships, collaborative R&D.