Visitor responses to emergency evacuation: A human behavior approach

Background: This study investigates human behaviours during emergency evacuations using data collected at the Tabriz Grand Bazaar (TGB), a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world’s largest covered market. While past studies modelled crowd evacuations through simulations, limited empirical research exists on real human behaviour. Methods: Drawing on 749 questionnaire responses from TGB visitors, the study explores four key aspects of evacuation dynamics: (1) proactive vs. reactive responses; (2) competitive vs. cooperative interactions; (3) symmetry-breaking behaviours; and (4) route selection. Results: The analysis revealed that 44.2% of participants reported engaging in competitive behaviours (e.g., pushing), while only 8.4% showed a strong willingness to help others. Over 90% tended to follow others during evacuations, and 77.8% preferred to avoid the least crowded exit, indicating high symmetry-breaking tendencies. No significant correlation was found between gender and evacuation behaviours, but marital status, education, and age were significantly associated with different behavioural strategies. Conclusion: The study contributes by (1) providing behavioural insights for emergency planning, (2) informing the design of realistic evacuation simulations, and (3) offering empirical evidence to support future research.