Small groups with a dense network structure are more likely to survive disasters, according to a study of shipwrecks. The research looked at 30 shipwrecks from 16th to 20th century, comparing survival rates with the crew’s social structure. The findings suggest that the denser the network (meaning crew members were closely connected), the higher the survival rate.
The study also found that a higher percentage of officers surviving led to more crew survival, possibly due to their leadership. However, this correlation was less significant in crews with a dense network structure, suggesting the importance of the crew’s social structure over individual leadership.
The research also revealed that larger crews had lower survival rates, possibly due to coordination problems. However, the negative effect of size was less significant in crews with a dense network structure.
The findings have implications beyond maritime disasters, suggesting that social structure could be crucial in a variety of disaster situations. It also highlights the importance of building strong relationships and networks in small groups to increase their chances of survival in a disaster.
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