Exploring the accuracy of self-reported evacuation experiences following controlled experiments

Abstract

Researchers often use survey methods to study how people behave during building fire evacuations. However, reports on the accuracy of this information are lacking. In this study, individuals (n = 185) recalled details shortly after participating in evacuation experiments. This information was compared to the observed evacuation performances. Our findings suggest that the accuracy of self-reports on evacuation experiences is influenced by the type of information being recalled and reported. Results showed a perfect agreement for the recalled actions (Cohen's kappa k = 0.97) a moderate agreement for evacuation paths (k = 0.51) and time judgements (k = 0.47), a fair agreement for cue perceptions (k = 0.23) and a slight agreement for self-perceived roles (k = 0.04). While the results are more suggestive than conclusive, this study offers valuable insights into the potential biases associated with self-reported accounts in evacuation research.