In this paper, we present a pedestrian single-file movement experiment that directly captures the characteristics of the interacting pedestrians’ continuous stepping behaviors. We find that the relationship between step length (duration) and spatial headway exhibits piecewise linear behavior: It first increases linearly as the headway increases and then remains constant when the headway exceeds 1.20 m (0.71 m). Three different regimes are observed and defined on the basis of their relationships. The continuous small-step phenomena are found in a strongly constrained regime. We reveal that the relationship between the step duration and the step velocity is nonmonotonous and that the longest duration is seen at a velocity of 1.35 m/s, whereas the relationship between the step length and the step velocity is monotonous and can be well represented by a quartic function. Furthermore, we show that the dependency of the ratio between head displacement and foot displacement in a step on the headway is a piecewise linear relationship. We were interested to find that the ratio is less (greater) than 0.5 when the headway is less (greater) than 1 m. This finding reveals the backward- (forward-) deviating phenomena of the body and can be used to indirectly interpret the differences in some of the results of this paper and previous studies. Finally, we show that step synchronization (asynchronization) is most likely to occur at a headway of 0.76 m (0.51 m). These interesting findings greatly deepen our understanding of basic human stepping behavior.

Evacuation drills have been developed as part of many risk management programs. However, very few studies have paid attention to the process of evacuation drills. This study employs action research to examine a tsunami risk management strategy called the single-person drill, and applies new technologies in presenting related outcomes presented as multiscreen movies. The drill targets vulnerable people (i.e., older adults), during which a single evacuee moves to a shelter with the aid of a Global Positioning System (GPS) device. Evacuation routes, destination, and duration were used as parameters in an agent-based evacuation simulation shown on movies. The drill has been conducted 58 times in a coastal community (Okitsu, Kochi Prefecture), and 59 multiscreen movies were produced. An analysis of the effectiveness of the drill and related movies was done by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. Results showed that, with a total of 163 respondents of a semistructured interview, 70.0% of residents were familiar with the drill, and 22.0% wanted to try it. The drill helped elderly people to improve self-efficacy in tsunami risk management, and generated two-way risk communication between experts and participants. This paper contributes new insights into understanding the importance of technology in tsunami risk management.

This study explores the causal relationship between Internet users’ ideologies and their corresponding attitudes to genetically modified (GM) food safety. Using the 2015 Chinese Internet User Survey data (N = 3780) as a representative sample of Internet users from China, the study investigates factors influencing people’s attitudes to GM food safety. Multinomial Logistic Regression Models are applied to examine the effects of demographic features (gender, age, education, family annual income, location, CPC membership, and occupation) and ideological factors (general ideology, political ideology, economic ideology, and cultural ideology) on attitudes to GM food safety. The results demonstrate that the percentage of people whose attitude is that “GM food is risky” (35.1%) surpasses those who think “GM food is safe” (20.4%). The young generation respondents think that GM food is safe, while those with higher levels of income and education are more inclined to view GM food as risky. In addition, public sector employees tend to think that GM food is risky. Respondents characterized with right-wing ideology in general tend to regard GM food as safe, compared to left-wing ideologists. However, their attitude varies in different ideological dimensions of politics, economics, and culture. This paper contributes new insights into understanding ideological influences on science development and sustainability.

Purpose: Very few studies have examined the influential factors of survivors’ feelings of happiness in the context of nuclear accidents. This paper aims to fill this gap with reference to the recovery process in Fukushima City following the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami in Japan. Methods: Open access data were sourced from the 2015 Social Survey on Living and Disaster Recovery (SSLDR) (N = 1439) of Fukushima citizens. Pearson’s Chi-square Test and the t-test were employed to examine gender differences with regard to happiness and exploratory variables. Following this, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate the determinants of happiness. Results: The results showed that, compared to females, male respondents were unhappier and reported more property loss and less neighborhood connectedness. Individuals’ mental and physical health and neighborhood connectedness were found to be significantly correlated with their happiness. However, the disaster-related variables of people’s evaluation of recovery achievement, concerns around the health impacts of radiation, property loss in the disaster, and experiences of casualty, had no effects on happiness. Conclusion: These findings indicate that policies and countermeasures dealing with disaster recovery over the long term should continuously focus on health issues and social relationships.