Social Experiment:Things to do in elevators
Elevators are the same as lifts. They are not the same thing as escalators, which are something different. Anyway, there are a number of unwritten conventions about how we should behave in lifts, which are pretty dumb. Of course these should be ignored and contravened, which is what this article is about. Add things when you think of them.
Face the rear
One thing you should always do in a lift is face away from the doors. It's unsettling and feels wrong, but it is so very right. The research question here is whether others will follow suit. The outcome may be affected strongly by whether or not you are the first person in the lift. If you find yourself face to face with someone else, maintain eye contact!
Hold the centre
Usually people will arrange themselves in a lift to ensure maximum separation from other people. This is somewhat similar to the tried and true Maximum Male Separation rule, although in this case it applies to people of any gender or disposition. The challenge here is to fight those instincts and hold the centre of the lift floor, instead of meekly simpering off to the sides of the elevator.
Scholars predict amusing results if this is combined with facing the rear as described above.
