The intensity of fear and terror varies from person to person. Conversely, just as rational judgment represents each individual's character, when it vanishes, one becomes devoid of personality. These individuals, when gathered in groups, share unease and terror, revealing the unique psychological state during a fire, which can lead to disasters worse than the fire itself. This crowd is a spontaneous assembly of people with no prior connection, and in times of chaos, without someone to rely on, they are bound to be engulfed by the surrounding atmosphere. Due to their shared unease, they are more susceptible to rumors or erroneous guidance. From a psychological perspective, the crowd exhibits the following characteristics:
They gathered together due to shared concerns.
The group was an accidental and temporary formation. It was a group without task allocation and was easily influenced by the emotions of those around.
Willing to engage with the crowd.
Due to some circumstances, people gather together. The psychology of this gathering has a multiplying effect. In situations like smoke, strange odors, power outages, and noise during a fire, panic often ensues. In places where the internal situation is unclear, people tend to return to the path they came from when they are unable to make a calm judgment.
Towards the Light
In daily life, except for sleeping hours, most people spend their time in well-lit environments. There's an inherent unease about darkness. Therefore, when sudden smoke blocks visibility and plunges them into a world of darkness without illumination, it's a natural instinct to flee towards the direction of light.
Avoid Hazards.
When smoke and fire are present, people often flee in the direction where they can't see the smoke and fire. Evacuation efforts become solely focused on immediate danger. Desperate for escape from the relentless pursuit of smoke and fire with no other options, individuals may resort to unexpected and impulsive actions, such as jumping from heights.
5. Follow the crowd.
Not to judge the escape direction for oneself, but to follow behind the person in front or the majority, blindly following.
