Revisiting the paper ”Simulating dynamical features of escape panic”: What have we learnt since then?

Milad Haghani; Enrico Ronchi

doi:10.17815/CD.2024.168

Authors

Milad Haghani University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3904-5196
Enrico Ronchi Division of Fire Safety Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2789-6359

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17815/CD.2024.168

Keywords:

Social Force Model, Pedestrian Dynamics, Crowd Dynamics, Evacuation Simulation

Abstract

The paper "Simulating dynamical features of escape panic" by Helbing, Farkas, and Vicsek, published over two decades ago in Nature, has left an indelible mark on the field of crowd dynamics.
With nearly 3,000 citations to date, according to the Web of Science records, this influential work has significantly shaped the field. This analysis investigates the overall influence of this paper through various indicators, documenting its reach across multiple research areas. The intellectual foundation of the paper is traced, examining the references cited and uncovering some misalignments between certain assertions and the citations meant to support them. The terminological impact is also explored, showing how the paper invigorated the use of terms like "panic" and "herding". Moreover, the alignment of some key assumptions of the paper with empirical evidence that has emerged since its publication is investigated, revealing discrepancies in key assertions about panic behaviour. It is also determined that the numerical observations of the paper have significantly influenced the field by introducing concepts such as the "faster-is-slower" phenomenon, on which empirical research has since produced mixed evidence rather than irrefutable support.
While the paper remains a key pillar in crowd dynamics, we advocate for a new course for the field that could facilitate a paradigm shift in conceptualising crowd behavior, particularly one that reconsiders some terminologies and key behavioral concepts adopted in the paper, rather than treating them as proven.

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