Understanding human behavior in disaster situations: proposal for an immersive methodological approach

This article is part of the Com2SiCa research, which seeks two objectives: firstly, to understand the diversity of human behavior and the way in which it can evolve during a major, sudden and unpredictable disaster; and, secondly, to analyze the trajectories associated with spontaneous decisions to evacuate (or not) the area where a disaster has occurred. Knowledge in this field is scarce because of the difficulty, for both practical and ethical reasons, to address the diversity of behavioral responses during the course of a disaster. In order to capture this precise moment, "during" the event, we have developed an experimental field survey methodology that relies on an immersive visual and acoustic simulation. By immersing participants in disaster scenarios, this innovative method aims to produce data on observable behavioral responses to emergency situations. Trialed in two coastal cities, Nice and Le Havre, in order to test the replicability of the approach and compare the results, it was designed for "natural" or "industrial" disaster scenarios with common temporal characteristics, that is, a sudden, rapid onset with little or no warning. We present the approach, its goals and the type of methodological innovation it entailed. The city of Le Havre was chosen as a case-study to test our method. Our results highlight the validity and value of conducting immersive field investigations and confirm the fact that, for the same disaster scenario, people can behave in a wide variety of ways, and may be alert, in control or in a state of panic. Some people are static (for example, immobile or stunned), while others are dynamic (for example, searching for loved ones or fleeing). The result of this behavioural diversity is a heterogeneity in the trajectories taken to evacuate the site of the disaster or to take cover. We also observe that trajectories depend on the spatial configuration of the location where the event takes place. Knowledge of this behavioural heterogeneity as well as the influence of location could be useful to decision-makers and other stakeholders.