Investigating the Influence of Exit Single and Interactive Features for Individuals' Doorway Choice

To enhance the efficiency of crowd evacuation and inform collaborative design strategies, it is essential to investigate the effects of exit features on human exit choices. This study explores how exit distance, crowd density near exits, and exit location settings influence individual exit selection. We conducted a virtual reality experiment, revealing that all targeted features significantly impact exit choices, with density exerting the most substantial influence, followed by distance and exit location being the least impactful. Additionally, the interaction between distance and location significantly affected exit decisions. By integrating our findings into machine learning models, we demonstrate the potential of these exit features for informing collaborative evacuation strategies and designing systems that support effective decision-making in crowd dynamics. This research contributes to understanding human behavior in evacuation scenarios, emphasizing the importance of collaborative approaches in optimizing crowd management.