TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring culture
T2 - Audience predispositions and consequent effects on audience behavior in a mass-gathering setting
AU - Hutton, Alison
AU - Brown, Stephen
AU - Verdonk, Naomi
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - Introduction The purpose of this critical review is to look at the current literature regarding mass gatherings and to create further understanding of this area with a particular focus on what the audience brings with them to the event, particularly in a planned event with a cultural theme or focus. Through an understanding of these predispositions and consequent effects on audience behavior in a mass-gathering setting, a more complete understanding of motivation factors of crowds and audiences can also be found. Methods A critical review of mass-gathering literature was undertaken by searching various online academic databases. Peer-reviewed scholarly articles relevant to the cultural aspects associated with religious, sporting and music mass gatherings were also analyzed. Results Results from the review show that the word culture is often used to explain what happens at the event without reflecting how the motivations or behaviors of audiences at an event are influenced by the cultural predispositions of the audience. Conclusions By understanding the cultural predispositions of the audience, event planners and designers, event risk managers and event safety personnel are able to better understand the motivation of the audience and how this might impact on audience behavior at the event. Further work needs to be done, however, to investigate the broader range of predispositions. The ultimate aim of developing this understanding is to better inform the health promotion and public health messages that can be developed for a particular type of event based on the likely composition of the audience in attendance.
AB - Introduction The purpose of this critical review is to look at the current literature regarding mass gatherings and to create further understanding of this area with a particular focus on what the audience brings with them to the event, particularly in a planned event with a cultural theme or focus. Through an understanding of these predispositions and consequent effects on audience behavior in a mass-gathering setting, a more complete understanding of motivation factors of crowds and audiences can also be found. Methods A critical review of mass-gathering literature was undertaken by searching various online academic databases. Peer-reviewed scholarly articles relevant to the cultural aspects associated with religious, sporting and music mass gatherings were also analyzed. Results Results from the review show that the word culture is often used to explain what happens at the event without reflecting how the motivations or behaviors of audiences at an event are influenced by the cultural predispositions of the audience. Conclusions By understanding the cultural predispositions of the audience, event planners and designers, event risk managers and event safety personnel are able to better understand the motivation of the audience and how this might impact on audience behavior at the event. Further work needs to be done, however, to investigate the broader range of predispositions. The ultimate aim of developing this understanding is to better inform the health promotion and public health messages that can be developed for a particular type of event based on the likely composition of the audience in attendance.
KW - audience
KW - behavior
KW - culture
KW - mass gathering
KW - predispositions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878325923&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1049023X13000228
DO - 10.1017/S1049023X13000228
M3 - Review article
VL - 28
SP - 292
EP - 297
JO - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
JF - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
SN - 1049-023X
IS - 3
ER -