Impact of Negative Emotion and Social Influence on Pre-Evacuation Decision-Making

This study examines how fear and social influence affect pre-evacuation decisions. Twenty-two participants underwent fear induction and were exposed to either passive or active confederate behavior during an unannounced alarm. Data on subjective emotion and evacuation behavior were collected and analyzed using Friedman test and binary logistic regression methods. Results showed a significant increase in fear post-induction. Participants exposed to passive behavior were 95.4% less likely to evacuate. These findings highlight the critical role of social cues in evacuation decisions. The results can inform the design of emergency systems, such as dynamic guidance and training strategies, to reduce hesitation and improve safety during emergencies.