Finally! The long-awaited concert, we will slam! Or a rally where we can openly express our unique and unrepeatable opinions! And there are so many like-minded people around, kindred spirits! What is this? It looks like a team of dissidents has emerged from the other side of your indivisible community! Or there were sounds of explosions somewhere. Here comes the valiant police! And your, once brothers in spirit, turned into a dangerous, chaotic gray mass, ready to trample and crush anyone who fell or hesitated... Well, if you weren’t smart enough not to attend such events, then let’s try to get out of there with minimal losses.
Causes
Mass gatherings of people usually occur at rallies, concerts, demonstrations, football matches, and public festivals in honor of public holidays. Shopping centers and large entertainment venues, metro and other public transport also require a high concentration of a diverse public. Rallies and demonstrations are potentially dangerous events, as they consist of a dissatisfied public wanting their demands to be heard.
The causes of mass gatherings can be targeted or chaotic. The first group includes planned events - theater, concerts, sports competitions, religious holidays. The second is sudden circumstances, such as natural disasters, catastrophes, fires, floods, accidents in public transport, metro and others.
Religious holidays and mass events, especially rock concerts and performances by artists where alcohol and drugs are traditionally consumed, pose a serious danger. And no need to act surprised! This contributes to the fact that a person loses control over himself and becomes unsafe for others. The “crowd effect” increases this danger significantly and provokes spontaneous destructive actions, such as fights and pogroms. The behavior of a large number of people at the rally also takes dangerous forms.
A crowd at a mass event is a loosely organized gathering of people connected by emotional involvement and attention to a specific object. Due to the intense agitation and specificity of the audience present, such a mass is practically uncontrollable. If you ignore the rules of behavior in a crowd, the consequences will cause damage to property, health and may cost lives.
Various sports complexes are potential sites for social unrest. For example, the behavior of football fans at the stadium is often aggressive; the emotional intensity from a victory or loss of one’s team has such destructive power that being nearby is dangerous for the life and well-being of peaceful fans.
The behavior of fans after a match also poses a threat to the health and lives of others. An aggressive crowd of football fans can cause riots on the street and create extreme situations in restaurants, pubs and other places of entertainment. Fans provoke interracial and religious conflicts, which often end with passers-by resting in a hospital bed.
Reminder about safe behavior at public events
It is necessary to remember that participation in any mass event is associated with increased danger, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations remind. To avoid possible troubles, everyone needs to know the basic rules of behavior in crowded places.
A person in a crowd is at risk due to:
— the possibility of a crush;
— possible manifestations of aggression on the part of event participants.
How to prepare for attending public events
You need to prepare for going to a crowded place. If possible, wear tight clothing that fits close to your body. It should not have long or hanging elements, this means the hems of raincoats, decorative chains, the ends of scarves (in the cold season, the scarf should be tucked under outerwear).
You must always wear a hat. Being in a crowd can take a long time. In winter, a hat will save you from hypothermia. Try to ensure that there are no inscriptions or drawings with double interpretation on your clothes, especially those that can be regarded as offensive. This will show you as a polite person and reduce the chances of becoming a target of aggression. First of all, this advice applies to attending sports and music events.
You should have documents with you, it is better to hide them, a small amount of money and a charged mobile phone. Do not take large, glass, or metal objects with you. Even a massive key fob with keys in your pocket can cause serious injury. Try not to appear in crowded places with small children. It is easy for a child to get lost in a dense crowd; in addition, due to his small stature, he is exposed to dangerous crowding factors to a much greater extent than an adult.
When you find yourself at the venue of a mass cultural, entertainment or sporting event, do not try to get into the densest crowd of people in a limited space. Remember: no amount of spectacle can compensate for possible inconvenience and injury.
Study possible evacuation routes, the location of medical centers and police posts in advance. Remember the locations of easily surmountable fences, stairs, courtyards, windows, emergency exits.
If you have to deal with crowded passages at the venue of a mass spectacle, with violations of fire safety and public order rules, it is better to leave such an event.
What to do if you find yourself in a moving crowd indoors?
In a confined space (at a concert or other public event), when danger arises, people simultaneously begin to seek salvation. In the vast majority of cases, this happens chaotically. People who are far from exits become especially active. They begin to push with all their might on those in front, as a result, most of the “front” find themselves pressed against the walls. A stampede ensues, as a result of which many may find themselves crushed between the stone wall and the wall of human bodies.
First of all, it is necessary to adhere to the general speed of the traffic flow, do not push or push on those walking in front. Pushes from behind and from the side must be restrained with elbows bent and hands pressed to the body.
If there is a child next to you, try to put him on your shoulders. In this position, he will not suffocate, compressed by the mass of bodies. Two or three adults can surround the child and clasp their hands to form a kind of protective barrier. If there is no immediate danger to life (spreading fire, collapse of building structures), try to be with the least dense crowd.
Wait until the majority of people have left the room and leave yourself. Following this advice, under no circumstances try to go against or across the direction of movement of the mass of people. You need to cross the crowd diagonally, moving as if along with everyone, and at the same time shifting in the right direction (as if you were swimming across a river with a strong current).
Never bend down to pick up fallen objects, even if it is a passport or a wallet with money.
When participating in mass events, citizens are obliged to:
- maintain and maintain public order;
— do not allow actions that could lead to extreme situations and create danger for others;
— treat the facilities and equipment of the mass event venue with care;
— behave respectfully towards other citizens, service personnel ensuring the holding of mass events, officials responsible for maintaining public order and safety during mass events;
— comply with the legal requirements of law enforcement officers and other persons responsible for maintaining order and fire safety during the event;
- do not leave minor children unattended;
- Park vehicles in specially designated areas.
— when receiving information about evacuation, act in accordance with the instructions of employees of internal affairs bodies (facility administration) or those responsible for ensuring law and order, remain calm and not create panic.
IN EMERGENCIES CALL-01;3-36-03;
FROM CELL PHONE 112.
Senior inspector of ONDIPR of the Vyborg region. P.G. Anisenkov
Helpline UNDiPR State Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Leningrad Region: 8(812)579-99-99
Human behavior in a crowd
The actions of an individual in a mass are characterized by psychological characteristics: increased aggression and uncontrollability.
In most cases, a crowd has a core of instigators who use its destructive power to achieve their goals.
Sociology classifies it according to the degree of controllability and divides it into two types:
- Spontaneous crowd. It arises and is formed spontaneously, without the participation of a specific organizer.
- Slave. It is created, influenced and controlled by the leader. The goal is the implementation of specific actions.
- Organized. It has its own clear hierarchy, management and subordination structure.
In a crowd, a person can exhibit psychological qualities that are completely unusual for him in ordinary life. The main factor in changing behavior is a feeling of anonymity, associating oneself “with the crowd,” “I’m like everyone else,” and removing personal responsibility from one’s actions. Because of the feeling of personal impunity, cruel, destructive behavior characteristic of the aggressive mass manifests itself.
A person feels pressure from others, completely displacing his conscious personality, is easily suggestible and experiences a desire for immediate action. The state of unity with the group temporarily changes the psychological characteristics of the individual beyond recognition. Scientists compare this state to a hypnotic trance. People develop a feeling of “omnipotence” and “irresistible force”, subordinating behavior to instincts and erasing the understanding of personal responsibility. An individual who is peaceful in ordinary life can behave like an aggressive destroyer and a seasoned criminal, without fear or moral restrictions, without thinking about the consequences of his actions.
Also characteristic sensations in the crowd are nervous tension and aggravation of the general emotional background. This leads to spontaneous, thoughtless actions. Mass hysteria, not based on ideological, psychological and social influences, becomes the cause of tragedies, destruction and loss of life.
Panic, which often occurs in a crowd, forms a disorganized human flow, driven by the horror of uncertainty, characterized by the manifestation of the instinct of self-preservation and the lack of cognitive functions. It is provoked by real or imagined danger, a sudden frightening event, an explosion, a scream or any loud sound. People in a state of panic are characterized by increased emotional arousal, inappropriate behavior, chaotic, destructive actions of an uncertain direction. Confusion is also characterized by an atmosphere of heightened worry and anxiety. The high danger of a crowd in an altered state of panic is undeniable.
How to control a crowd
Naturally, we will not consider all the intricacies of managing mass consciousness in one article, but you can still briefly study this issue (in general, we recommend reading books on the topic of crowd psychology - at the end we will offer a small list of them).
The behavior of the crowd is influenced by various factors, including the events taking place, their direction and speed, the psychological state of people in the crowd, ideological influences, the form of their presentation, prejudices, illusions, superstitions and much more.
We have already said that initially the crowd is uncontrollable and spontaneous, but still it will strive to obey the will of others. The leader she will listen to may arise spontaneously, or take control over her of his own free will. But such subtleties do not matter to the crowd, and they will obey in any case.
The peculiarity of the crowd is that it is unquestioning, blind and instinctive in its submission, and also in the fact that it will reject a weak leader and bow to a strong one. It is possible and necessary to control a crowd harshly, and it is precisely this kind of power that serves as the most effective control tool for them.
However, to control a crowd, a person must have a set of special skills and qualities. Let's name the most important of them:
- Charm. A leader must be charming and charismatic, and it does not matter what serves as the basis for charm and charisma - admiration for a person or fear of him, success in any field, wealth or skillful use of psychological methods of influence. The main thing is that the crowd perceives the leader and listens to him.
- Mastery of crowd control techniques. Any competent leader must understand that achieving power over the crowd involves going through several stages. Initially, you need to infiltrate the crowd, then understand what worries them and how they live, then gain trust and convince them that you share their interests, and only after that make attempts to control. Plus, the leader needs to understand the mechanisms of formation and “work” of the crowd.
- Activity. A person leading a crowd always acts and does not think. To do this, he uses energy or willpower that allows him to do what others do not do.
- Ideology. The most important goal of a leader is to develop an idea and sow its seeds in the public consciousness. If we look at history (watch documentaries or read books), we will see that very often at the pinnacle of power there are people with beliefs that simply cannot be refuted or challenged, even if they are absurd, ridiculous or terrifying.
- Oratorical skills. A strong and authoritative person must realize that the crowd understands only direct, loud and strong phrases. At the same time, it is necessary to use different speech techniques: statements, repetitions, exaggerations, etc.
An interesting fact is that crowd control almost always has a dual character: on the one hand, it is controlled by the leader, and on the other, by the power structures. The tasks of these parties are different: if the first uses the crowd to achieve a goal, then the second seeks to disband the crowd. To do this, security forces use special methods, for example, diverting people's attention to separate them, depriving them of a leader, or awakening reason. But this is a topic for another article, so let’s summarize.
A crowd is capable of exerting a serious influence on the people within it, strangers, political processes, and the life of society and the state. This is the main reason why many leaders (including political ones) often resort to using the crowd. But ordinary people, who are capable of becoming part of the crowd at any moment, must know the psychology of the masses and apply this knowledge in life. At a minimum, to have a general understanding of the crowd and the behavior of people in it, and at a maximum, to know how a crowd can influence consciousness, and to be able to protect oneself if necessary.
And, as we promised, here is a small list of books on crowd psychology that are worth reading:
- Gustave Le Bon “Psychology of Nations and Masses”;
- Scipio Siegele “Criminal Crowd. Experience of collective psychology";
- Serge Moscovici "The Age of Crowds" Historical treatise on mass psychology";
- A. V. Zabarin “Psychology of crowds and riots”;
- L. G. Pochebut “Social psychology of the crowd”;
- D. Ya. Raigorodsky “Psychology of the masses”;
- A. P. Nazaretyan “Aggressive crowd, mass panic, rumors”;
- G. M. Andreeva “Social psychology”;
- V. M. Bekhterev “Suggestion and the Crowd.”
And, since we ended the conversation with personal safety, we invite you to watch a video specifically on this topic. We wish you good health and the ability to always maintain the ability to think soberly and independently!
Did you like the article? Join our communities on social networks or our Telegram channel and don’t miss the release of new useful materials: TelegramVKontakteFacebook
We also recommend reading:
- Storytelling
- Mass consciousness in practice
- Criminal psychology
- Group polarization
- Ways to be more creative
- The ability to stand out from the crowd using the PVI method
- Neuromarketing
- Attributes of a Great Man
- How to pump up your creative muscles. 50 Shades of Creativity: Infographic
- Forms of social behavior of people
- Secrets of charisma during public speaking (part 2)
Key words:1Communication
Uncontrolled flow in a confined space
The emergence of panic and the appearance of a stampede often bring more negative consequences than the frightening event itself. People in a state of horror find it difficult to maintain safety in a crowd; there is no time for the rules of etiquette; no one will stand on ceremony with an individual.
If you find yourself in an enclosed space, for example, in a club or concert hall, and an emergency situation arises that threatens the development of crush and panic, try to slowly walk towards the exit or to the edge of the cluster, moving along the direction of the flow vector. If this is not possible, move in the direction of the flow. Your main goal now is not to fall. The worst thing that can happen to you among an uncontrollable, aggressive or frightened crowd of people is a fall. No one will stop to help. Hundreds of feet will cheerfully trample you and your silhouette will forever be immortalized on the asphalt.
The second danger is strong compression, in medical parlance - asphyxia, which can lead to loss of consciousness and, accordingly, a fall. To avoid being crushed like a bug, you need to fold your arms over your chest and clasp your elbows with your hands. This simple action will create a strong frame and will not allow others to squeeze your chest.
Precautionary measures
So, you rushed to where the main crowd was. The rules of behavior in a crowd dictate that you must empty your pockets. There should be nothing in your clothing that has any rigidity and can cause serious injury to you and others around you. You need to throw away pens and pencils, calculators and notebooks. An exception can only be made for paper money, and even then only if it is not rolled up.
Rules for safe behavior in crowds require getting rid of clothing that is too loose, long, or decorated with metal parts. It is recommended to throw off anything that could put pressure on your neck. This list includes a medallion on a cord, a tie, a chain, a jacket lacing, etc. It is necessary to throw all costume jewelry and any valuables onto the floor, despite the fact that it is a shame to lose them. No exception is made even for glasses. In such a situation, they should not be on the face.
Rules for safe behavior in crowds require taking measures to avoid falling due to untied shoelaces while driving. While there is time, they must be tightened with a dead knot. This is very important, because no one can rise up during the movement of uncontrollable masses of people.
Safe behavior in a crowd involves keeping your arms bent at the elbows, with your fists pointing upward. This will protect the chest from pressure. You can do it a little differently. In order not to lose the opportunity to breathe during the pressure of the human mass, it is advisable to clasp your hands in front of your chest. Such precautionary measures must be taken in advance, while the crowd is still thin. The compaction of a large mass of people will certainly occur, because when exiting through narrow doors, the “funnel effect” will work.
Maintaining Self-Control
Self-control in conditions of general tension and panic is a difficult task, but doable.
For composure, it is important not to feel like part of the crowd, not to succumb to calls and slogans, to distance yourself from the core of provocateurs and slowly move towards the exit.
The most important thing is not to panic and try to stay on your feet, then you have a much better chance of getting out safe and sound.
Do not be provoked by the frightening shouts of “Run!”, “Guard!”, try to soberly assess the situation and make your own decisions, and not follow the lead of the “collective mind”. Determine for yourself a place where it will be relatively safe; this may be a temporary point that will help you wait out an acute situation.
Memo for children and parents
If you find yourself in dangerous conditions with your family, you need to take your child in your arms. Otherwise, he will very quickly get lost, and his life and health will be in danger due to his small stature. They won't notice him and will simply trample him.
It is better for a man to place the child on his neck, and let the woman pass first to keep him in sight. Try to calm the child down. Get rid of all dangerous objects, ribbons, ropes, metal and plastic toys, keys, large bags. Try to stay away from large people, they also want to escape and can simply knock you down with their mass. If you do fall, curl into the fetal position, clasp your knees with your arms, and cover your head and kidneys. You can try to stand up by making a sharp jerk with your body, leaning on your knee.
