scholarly journals Together Apart: Increased Crowd Heterogeneity Influences Crowd Dynamics and Interpersonal Distance at Bottlenecks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Geoerg ◽  
Jette Schumann ◽  
Maik Boltes ◽  
Max Kinateder
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Total N ◽  
Pedestrian Dynamics ◽  
Simulation Tools ◽  
Crowd Dynamics ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Crowd Movement ◽  
Reduced Mobility ◽  
Visible Disabilities

Abstract Despite considerable research efforts, most controlled empirical studies on crowd movement usually rely on homogeneous crowds, i.e., research participants are typically young adults without disabilities. Consequently, little is known about pedestrian movement in more diverse and heterogeneous crowd conditions, e.g., when persons with reduced mobility are present. This gap may be particularly relevant at bottlenecks, along the path of a moving crowd that limit the capacity of pedestrian flow. Here, we present results from 12 studies in which participants (total N = 252) with and without visible disabilities moved together in a crowd. In each study, groups of participants walked together in a hallway with a bottleneck at the end. The point of speed adoption, distances between neighbours, and behavioural activities were analysed. We found (1) that participants with disabilities reduced their speed further away from the bottleneck than participants without disabilities; (2) participants without disabilities stayed closer to neighbors with disabilities than to neighbors without disabilities; and (3) participants interacted and communicated with each other to organise in front of the bottleneck. These results underline the importance of studying representative and heterogeneous samples in crowd dynamics. We also argue that more interdisciplinary research is needed to better understand the dynamics of interactions between neighbors in a crowd. A more nuanced understanding of pedestrian dynamics holds the promise of improving the validity of simulation tools such as movement and evacuation models.

Studying Populations of Online Communities

2019 ◽  
pp. 173-193
Author(s):  
Benjamin Mako Hill ◽  
Aaron Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Online Communities ◽  
Information Diffusion ◽  
Diffusion Processes ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Large Majority ◽  
Community Processes ◽  
Published Research

While the large majority of published research on online communities consists of analyses conducted entirely within individual communities, this chapter argues for a population-based approach, in which researchers study groups of similar communities. For example, although there have been thousands of papers published about Wikipedia, a population-based approach might compare all wikis on a particular topic. Using examples from published empirical studies, the chapter describes five key benefits of this approach. First, it argues that population-level research increases the generalizability of findings. Next, it describes four processes and dynamics that are only possible to study using populations: community-level variables, information diffusion processes across communities, ecological dynamics, and multilevel community processes. The chapter concludes with a discussion of a series of limitations and challenges.

scholarly journals Leaving the Loners Alone: Dispositional Preference for Solitude Evokes Ostracism

2020 ◽  
pp. 014616722096861
Author(s):  
Dongning Ren ◽  
Anthony M. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Developmental Research ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Total N ◽  
General Preference ◽  
Interpersonal Consequences

What are the interpersonal consequences of seeking solitude? Leading theories in developmental research have proposed that having a general preference for solitude may incur significant interpersonal costs, but empirical studies are still lacking. In five studies (total N = 1,823), we tested whether target individuals with a higher preference for solitude were at greater risk for ostracism, a common, yet extremely negative, experience. In studies using self-reported experiences (Study 1) and perceptions of others’ experiences (Study 2), individuals with a stronger preference for solitude were more likely to experience ostracism. Moreover, participants were more willing to ostracize targets with a high (vs. low) preference for solitude (Studies 3 and 4). Why do people ostracize solitude-seeking individuals? Participants assumed that interacting with these individuals would be aversive for themselves and the targets (Study 5; preregistered). Together, these studies suggest that seeking time alone has important (and potentially harmful) interpersonal consequences.

scholarly journals Panic, Irrationality, and Herding: Three Ambiguous Terms in Crowd Dynamics Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Haghani ◽  
Emiliano Cristiani ◽  
Nikolai W. F. Bode ◽  
Maik Boltes ◽  
Alessandro Corbetta
Keyword(s):  
Social Influence ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Common Knowledge ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Escape Behaviour ◽  
Crowd Dynamics ◽  
Lay Persons ◽  
Relative Consistency ◽  
Science Domain

Background. The three terms “panic”, “irrationality”, and “herding” are ubiquitous in the crowd dynamics literature and have a strong influence on both modelling and management practices. The terms are also commonly shared between the scientific and nonscientific domains. The pervasiveness of the use of these terms is to the point where their underlying assumptions have often been treated as common knowledge by both experts and lay persons. Yet, at the same time, the literature on crowd dynamics presents ample debate, contradiction, and inconsistency on these topics. Method. This review is the first to systematically revisit these three terms in a unified study to highlight the scope of this debate. We extracted from peer-reviewed journal articles direct quotes that offer a definition, conceptualisation, or supporting/contradicting evidence on these terms and/or their underlying theories. To further examine the suitability of the term herding, a secondary and more detailed analysis is also conducted on studies that have specifically investigated this phenomenon in empirical settings. Results. The review shows that (i) there is no consensus on the definition for the terms panic and irrationality and that (ii) the literature is highly divided along discipline lines on how accurate these theories/terminologies are for describing human escape behaviour. The review reveals a complete division and disconnection between studies published by social scientists and those from the physical science domain and also between studies whose main focus is on numerical simulation versus those with empirical focus. (iii) Despite the ambiguity of the definitions and the missing consensus in the literature, these terms are still increasingly and persistently mentioned in crowd evacuation studies. (iv) Different to panic and irrationality, there is relative consistency in definitions of the term herding, with the term usually being associated with ‘(blind) imitation’. However, based on the findings of empirical studies, we argue why, despite the relative consistency in meaning, (v) the term herding itself lacks adequate nuance and accuracy for describing the role of ‘social influence’ in escape behaviour. Our conclusions also emphasise the importance of distinguishing between the social influence on various aspects of evacuation behaviour and avoiding generalisation across various behavioural layers. Conclusions. We argue that the use of these three terms in the scientific literature does not contribute constructively to extending the knowledge or to improving the modelling capabilities in the field of crowd dynamics. This is largely due to the ambiguity of these terms, the overly simplistic nature of their assumptions, or the fact that the theories they represent are not readily verifiable. Recommendations. We suggest that it would be beneficial for advancing this research field that the phenomena related to these three terms are clearly defined by more tangible and quantifiable terms and be formulated as verifiable hypotheses, so they can be operationalized for empirical testing.

scholarly journals Personality, Healthcare Use and Costs—A Systematic Review

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 329
Author(s):  
André Hajek ◽  
Benedikt Kretzler ◽  
Hans-Helmut König
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Healthcare Use ◽  
Total N ◽  
Study Selection ◽  
Cost Studies

Background: Thus far, there is a lack of a systematic review synthesizing empirical studies that analyze the link between personality factors and healthcare use (HCU) or costs. Consequently, the purpose of our systematic review is to give an overview of empirical findings from observational studies examining the association between personality factors and HCU or costs. Methods: PubMed, PsycINFO, and NHS EED (NHS Economic Evaluation Database) were searched. Observational studies examining the association between personality factors and HCU costs by using validated tools were included. Two reviewers performed study selection and data extraction and evaluated the study quality. Findings were synthesized qualitatively. Results: In total, n = 15 studies (HCU, n = 14; cost studies, n = 1) were included in the final synthesis. A few studies point to an association between conscientiousness and HCU (with mixed evidence). Some more evidence was found for an association between higher agreeableness, higher extraversion, and higher openness to experience and increased HCU. The majority of studies analyzed found a link between higher neuroticism and increased HCU. Conclusion: Personality factors, and particularly neuroticism, are associated with HCU. This knowledge is important to manage healthcare use. However, future research based on longitudinal data and studies investigating the link between personality characteristics and costs are required.

‘Still Waiting’ for Justice: Migrant Workers’ Perspectives on Labour Exploitation in Ireland

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 318-351
Author(s):  
Clíodhna Murphy ◽  
David M Doyle ◽  
Muiréad Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
Institutional Conditions ◽  
Labour Exploitation ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Employment Rights ◽  
The Continuum

Abstract Although there is a growing recognition that a labour law approach is well-placed to tackle migrant workers’ vulnerability to labour exploitation, empirical studies in this field are few and far between. This article explores how migrant workers subjected to severe and routine exploitation experience the Irish labour law framework in practice. Drawing on interviews with 23 workers, as well as legal and policy analysis, the research shows that those who have endured the ‘continuum’ between routine and severe labour exploitation have many commonalities in their lived experiences of labour conditions and law. It is argued that the key problems identified by this research—the intertwinement of employment and immigration enforcement; workers’ lack of awareness of employment rights; the ineffectiveness of labour inspections; the uncertain impact of undocumented status on employment rights and difficulties with enforcing employment awards—all point to the failure of institutional labour protections for migrant workers in Ireland. By enabling a more nuanced understanding of exploited migrant workers’ needs and perspectives, this study contributes to the ongoing debate on how to develop better regulatory and institutional conditions in Ireland and beyond.

scholarly journals Sperm morphology and sperm velocity in passerine birds

2008 ◽  
Vol 276 (1659) ◽  
pp. 1175-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Lüpold ◽  
Sara Calhim ◽  
Simone Immler ◽  
Tim R Birkhead
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Passerine Birds ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Sperm Velocity ◽  
Evolutionary Forces ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Main Determinants

Sperm velocity is one of the main determinants of the outcome of sperm competition. Since sperm vary considerably in their morphology between and within species, it seems likely that sperm morphology is associated with sperm velocity. Theory predicts that sperm velocity may be increased by enlarged midpiece (energetic component) or flagellum length (kinetic component), or by particular ratios between sperm components, such as between flagellum length and head size. However, such associations have rarely been found in empirical studies. In a comparative framework in passerine birds, we tested these theoretical predictions both across a wide range of species and within a single family, the New World blackbirds (Icteridae). In both study groups, sperm velocity was influenced by sperm morphology in the predicted direction. Consistent with theoretical models, these results show that selection on sperm morphology and velocity are likely to be concomitant evolutionary forces.

Testing the Status-Legitimacy Hypothesis in China: Objective and Subjective Socioeconomic Status Divergently Predict System Justification

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1044-1058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenqi Li ◽  
Ying Yang ◽  
Junhui Wu ◽  
Yu Kou
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
System Justification ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Total N ◽  
Subjective Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Status ◽  
Subjective Ses

The status-legitimacy hypothesis proposes that people with lower socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to justify the social system than those with higher SES. However, empirical studies found inconsistent findings. In the present research, we argue that at least part of the confusion stems from the possibility that objective and subjective SES are differently related to system justification. On one hand, subjective SES is more related to status maintenance motivation and may increase system justification. On the other hand, objective SES is more related to access to information about the social reality, which may increase criticism about the system and lead to lower system justification. These hypotheses were supported by evidence from five studies (total N = 26,134) involving both adult and adolescent samples in China. We recommend that future research on status-related issues needs to distinguish the potential divergent roles of objective and subjective SES.

scholarly journals Support for the Death Penalty in Taiwan?: a Study of Value Conflict and Ambivalence

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susyan Jou ◽  
Bill Hebenton
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Moral Psychology ◽  
Death Penalty ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Value Conflict ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Nuanced Understanding

AbstractWhile a substantial number of studies have examined public opinion on the death penalty in the USA, and more recently parts of Asia, including China, very few empirical studies have considered support for the death penalty in Taiwan. This paper examines public attitudes in Taiwan and the role of ‘value conflict’ in attitudes to both death penalty abolition and in the context of alternatives. Using the results of 1016 respondents drawn from a national face-to-face sample (n = 2039) survey conducted by the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty (TAEDP) in 2014, we demonstrate that public attitudes in Taiwan are simultaneously committed to many underlying values in conflict. The results also indicate that value conflict exists among the majority of the sample (more than 60 per cent) who are prepared to accept alternatives to abolition, and whom we can describe as ambivalent. Recognition of value conflict, ambivalence and the moral psychology underpinning public attitudes to the death penalty is essential, not only conceptually but to allow for a more appropriate and nuanced understanding of the abolitionist/retentionist debate.

More on the Acceptability of Workplace Behaviors of a Dubious Ethical Nature

1995 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 639-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter E. Mudrack ◽  
E. Sharon Mason
Keyword(s):  
Business Ethics ◽  
North American ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Equity Sensitivity ◽  
Ethical Conflict ◽  
Total N ◽  
Workplace Behaviors ◽  
Conflict Scale

Research on business ethics is often characterized by a lack of continuity in the measures used in empirical studies. In other words, many investigators develop unique measures rather than use existing ones, a process which has produced a series of measures about which relatively little is known. This paper further explores an existing measure of ten survey items assessing the perceived acceptability of workplace behaviors of a dubious ethical nature. Self-report surveys were administered to two diverse samples of North American respondents (total N = 308). The acceptability scale continued to display adequate α reliability. Respondents who regarded the questionable activities described in the survey items as relatively acceptable tended also to score Machiavellian, to display an “entitled” pattern of equity sensitivity, and to report the existence of relatively little ethical conflict. The paper concluded by affirming the relevance and utility of both the acceptability measure and the ethical conflict scale. Researchers may wish to consider using existing scales when appropriate rather than creating their own measures.

Spontaneous cognitive liberation in the context of rights-defending actions: A case study of the evolution of homeowner activists’ rights consciousness

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 518-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyi Sun ◽  
Ronggui Huang
Keyword(s):  
Property Rights ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Collective Consciousness ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Grass Roots ◽  
Political Opportunities ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Rights Consciousness

Empirical studies on Chinese homeowners’ activism regarding defending their rights focus mostly on either political opportunities or resource mobilization and often neglect the cognitive process of homeowner activists in developing their rights consciousness. This study attempts to use the perspective of framing and cognitive liberation to gain a nuanced understanding of activists’ subjective cognition in their actions aimed at defending their rights. An analytic framework is proposed which examines two aspects of homeowners’ rights consciousness: the referent of rights (property rights versus rights to self-governance) and the nature of rights (reactive versus proactive). Data were collected from Sina Weibo tweets posted by homeowner activists in the period 2011 to 2015. The results show that activists are universally aware of property rights and are increasingly proactive in seeking self-governance. Subsequent interviews of a group of activists revealed a spontaneous and interactive process of cognitive liberation that derives from both the first-hand experiences and the online discussions with fellow activists. Social media provide platforms upon which activists can exchange information, form networks, and learn from each other about common issues and obstacles and, thus, they promote collective consciousness and facilitate cognitive liberation. This suggests that future studies of activism regarding homeowners’ defence of rights should shift from an event-centered case study approach to an issue-centered analysis of the grass-roots rights movement as a whole.

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