Rhythmic ApplauseJim Goebl

Vicsek et. Al. Paper entitled Self-Organization in the

Concert Hall http://angel.elte.hu/%7Evicsek/ Examines patterns in the applause of

audiences

Self-Organization

System of a large number of similar components

In this case the components are the audience members

One event triggers an other event in the opposite direction

Clapping Begins as incoherent at the beginning of

applause session, but suddenly can become synchronized

Clapping can desynchronize and resynchronize several times during applause

Research The paper writers decided to study

applause by recording it at the end of several performances in European concert halls

The synchronization was recorded and graphed

Clapping was determined to be periodic

Research Discovered that the period of the claps

doubled as they became synchronized However, noise intensity decreases as

synchronization increases Audience fluctuates between

synchronization and intensity with their clapping

Further Testing Researchers tested the period increase by

asking lone individuals to clap for applause and then clap for rhythm

The period doubled between the applause and the rhythmic clapping

Synchronized Clapping in the US Audiences synchronize their clapping less

often in the United States than in Europe Researchers surmised that this difference

occurs because the US is less homogeneous than European nations