Abstract
Objective: The paper uses the timing of evacuation behavior of occupants of the World Trade Center at the time of the explosion of February 26, 1993, to test predictions from Emergent Norm Theory. Method: It uses ordinary least square multiple regression analysis to examine data from a survey done in the first week in May 1993 of 415 people who worked at the World Trade Center. Results: The theory's predictions regarding the additive effects of size of group and preexisting social relationships on the timing of evacuation are supported. However, the findings document important and unexpected interaction effects of these two variables on the effects of perceived threat, resources, and cooperativeness on the timing of evacuation. Conclusion: The results augment the theory by showing the continued importance of enduring social relationships as determinants of collective behavior. Enduring social relationships are not only useful to differentiate collective behavior from institutionalized behavior but also specify the dynamics attending the occurrence of collective behavior.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Aguirre, B. E. 1994 “Collective behavior and social movement theory.” In R. R. Dynes and K. J. Tierney (eds.), Disasters, Collective Behavior, and Social Organization: 257-272. Newark: University of Delaware Press.
Aguirre, B. E. and E. L. Quarantelli 1983 “Methodological, ideological and conceptual theoretical criticisms of the field of collective behavior: A critical evaluation and implications for future studies.” Sociological Focus 16:195-216.
Anderson, A., A. Basilevsky, and D. P. J. Hum 1983 “Missing data: A review of the literature.” In Handbook of Survey Research: 415-494. New York: Academic Press.
Brewer, John and A. Hunter 1989 Multimethod Approach. A Synthesis of Styles. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Brown, Michael and Amy Goldin 1973 Collective Behavior: A Review and Reinterpretation of the Literature. Pacific Palisades, CA: Goodyear Publishing Company.
Gillespie, David F. and Ronald W. Perry 1976 “An integrated systems and emergent norm approach to mass emergencies.” Mass Emergencies 1:303-312.
Gusfield, J. R. 1994 “The reflexivity of social movements: Collective behavior and mass society theory revisited.” In Enrique Larana, Hank Johnston and J. R. Gusfield (eds.), New Social Movements. From Ideology to Identity: 58-79. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Johnson, Norris 1987 “Panic at 'The Who Concert Stampede': An empirical assessment.” Social Problems 34:362-373.
Johnson, Norris and W. E. Feinberg 1994 “The emergence of competitive flight from the Beverly Hills Super Club fire.” Unpublished manuscript presented at the ASA Annual Meetings, Los Angeles, CA.
Johnston, D. M. and N. R. Johnson 1988 “Role extension in disaster: Employee behavior at the Beverly Hills Club fire.” Sociological Focus 22:39-51.
Killian, Lewis M. 1994 “Are social movements irrational or are they collective behavior?” In R. R. Dynes and K. J. Tierney (eds.), Disasters, Collective Behavior, and Social Organization: 273-280. Newark: University of Delaware Press.
Kreps, Gary 1983 “The organization of disaster response: Core concepts and processes.” International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 1:439-464.
1985 “Disaster and the social order.” Sociological Theory 3:49-65.
McCarthy John and Mayer Zald 1997 “Resource mobilization and social movements: A partial theory.” In S. M. Buechler and F. K. Cylke, Jr. (eds.), Social Movements: Perspectives and Issues: 149-171. California: Mayfield Publishing Company.
McPhail, Clark 1991 The Myth of the Madding Crowd. New York: Aldine.
Mintz, Alexander 1951 “Nonadaptive group behavior.” The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 46:150-159.
Mawson, Anthony R. 1980 “Is the concept of panic useful for scientific purposes?” In Second International Seminar on Human Behaviour in Fire Emergencies 208-211. Washington DC: National Bureau of Standards.
Moscovici, Serge 1994 “Three concepts: Minority, conflict, and behavioral style.” In S. Moscovici, A. Mucchi-Faina, and A. Maass (eds.), Minority Influence: 233-251. Chicago, IL: Nelson-Hall Publishers.
Norusis, Marija 1994 SPSS. SPSS Advanced Statistics, 6.1. Chicago, IL: SPSS, Inc.
Sime, Jonathan D. 1980 “The concept of panic.” In D. Canter (eds.), Fires and Human Behavior: 63-81. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
1983 “Affiliative behaviour during escape to building exists.” Journal of Environmental Psychology 3:21-41.
Sorensen, John H. 1991 “When shall we leave? Factors affecting the timing of evacuation departures.” International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 9:153-166.
Tierney, K. 1980 “Emergent norm theory as theory: An analysis and critique of Turner's formulation.” In M. D. Pugh (ed.), Collective Behavior: A Source Book: 42-53. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Company.
Turner, Ralph 1964 “Collective behavior.” In R. E. L. Faris (ed.), Handbook of Modern Sociology: 382-425. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally.
1996 “Normative emergence in collective behavior and action.” Mobilization 1:1-14.
Turner, Ralph and Lewis Killian 1987 Collective Behavior. (1972) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Weller, Jack and E. L. Quarantelli 1973 “Neglected characteristics of collective behavior.” American Journal of Sociology 79:665-685.
Wrong, Dennis 1994 The Problem of Order. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aguirre, B.E., Wenger, D. & Vigo, G. A Test of the Emergent Norm Theory of Collective Behavior. Sociological Forum 13, 301–320 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022145900928
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022145900928