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Waiting in airport lines is never fun, especially when time is ticking away before your next flight.
What followed was a perfect example of what happens whenentitled behaviormeets a crowd of equally frustrated travelers.
The answer might seem obviousno one enjoys standing around with nothing to do.
But theres more to it.
In 1985, David Maister, a Harvard Business School professor, looked intothe psychology of waiting in lines.
One major issue with lines is uncertainty.
In response, we release stress hormones like cortisol, making the experience feel even longer and more frustrating.
Another major factor is our sense of justice.Researchshows people prefer fairness over efficiency; seeing someoneskip aheadis especially aggravating.
Just think about how irritated you feel when someone who arrived after you gets served first at a restaurant.
Interestingly, if theres something rewarding at the end, people are more willing to endure the inconvenience.
Understanding this, many businesses design their spaces to manage the waiting experience more effectively.
In my book, theyre number one in the psychology and in the physics of queues, hesays.
And rather than cutting ahead, think about keeping things fair for everyone around you.
Check out the results:
