Visitor responses to emergency evacuation: A human behavior approach

A study of visitor behavior during emergencies at the Tabriz Grand Bazaar, one of the world's largest covered markets and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reveals that competitive behaviors—such as pushing—dominate evacuations, with only 8.4% of participants showing strong willingness to help others. Over 90% followed others' lead, while 77.8% preferred less crowded exits, indicating high symmetry-breaking tendencies. No gender differences were observed, but marital status, education, and age significantly influenced evacuation strategies. The findings challenge assumptions in crowd simulation models by providing empirical data on real human behavior during emergencies.

Akbarzadeh, O., Moshashaei, P., Golzad, H., Liu, H., & Alizadeh, S. S. (2025). Visitor responses to emergency evacuation: A human behavior approach. Health Promotion Perspectives, 15(4), 370–383. https://doi.org/10.34172/hpp.025.44366