Formation and evolution of individual evacuation roles in building emergencies: A role-playing immersive virtual reality study

Abstract

High-density indoor environments require efficient emergency responses, but varying roles complicate evacuations. This study uses virtual reality technology to examine the formation and evolution of evacuation roles in minutes in response to environmental triggers. Participants were assigned to one of the initial evacuation roles (leader, emergency responder, follower, indecisive role and egocentric role) and trained using role-playing scripts. Various triggers for different evacuation roles were designed within a virtual hospital scenario to motivate role evolution. The findings show that most participants quickly formed their initial evacuation roles. However, the frequency and direction of role evolution varied by role, highlighting the need for role-based safety training. The study also reveals that role ambiguity, particularly among followers, can lead to indecisive actions, negatively impacting evacuation performance. These results emphasize the importance of clear role definitions and targeted training to improve evacuation efficiency and effectiveness in built environments.