Slow walking behavior with negative emotion in smoke-filled model-scale tunnel

This study delved into the fundamental relationship between negative emotions and slow walking behaviors in a smoke-filled model-scale tunnel. Behavioral patterns and emotional responses were investigated by video observations and physiological signals. Contrary to previous assumptions, it was revealed that the “slow” was not solely indicative of older people, children, or individuals with disabilities. 15.3% of the slow participants paused several times during evacuation, with those in stress and low-stress cases pausing to look around, whereas a portion of those in fear and anxiety cases did nothing during their pause, potentially linked to threat-induced states such as orienting, freezing, and tonic immobility. 20.7% evacuated while stooping, possibly because of participants’ background (the disaster prevention education in Japan). The Difference-in-Differences (DID) estimation results indicated that negative emotions exerted a more pronounced influence on slow speeds compared to the overall speeds.