Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Role Social Influence Has On Dormitory Residents' Responses To Fire Alarms, Michael Otting Leytem

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Public response to fire alarms has been a major concern for decades. In particular, college dormitories pose a real threat for a catastrophic event if proper fire protocol is not carried out. Social influences may play a role in the decision dorm residents make when a fire alarm is sounded. More specifically, this research addresses to what degree does an authority figure, like a community advisor (CA), a friend, an unknown resident, or being alone, influence self-reported responses to fire alarms. Significant evidence was found confirming our hypothesis that participants in an alone condition reported being more likely to exit …