International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

E-ISSN: 2582-2160   •   Impact Factor: 9.24

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Volume 8 Issue 5
September-October 2026

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People as Navigation Signals

Author(s) Riddhi Kulkarni, Esha Seta, Soham Doke, Peeyush Gupta
Country India
Abstract While approaching a new space, people tend to look past signposts and maps; they tend to survey the area and see how other people behave to make their decisions on where to move. Formal wayfinding makes people aware of the location of the space but does not necessarily make them aware of its activity. A set of people moving in a certain direction, a cluster of people participating in some activity, and a person sitting in a certain place can all give out information without having to communicate anything deliberately. This research studies how other people's presence, actions, and behavior can serve as an informal way of providing information in public spaces. The research was carried out in the Namo Grand Central Park, Thane, Maharashtra . It was conducted using the method of ethnography over several visits and different levels of crowds. Initially, the study was centered on formal wayfinding tools such as maps and directions signs. Yet, on repeated visits, it was found out that people also made their decisions using group discussion, activities going on, and others' behavior. The following five behavioral patterns were found to occur regularly: attraction through active spaces, navigation as a shared task, social cues as well as formal cues, communication of space through behavior, and adaptation of space use depending on crowds and context. These observations were analyzed in conjunction with secondary sources regarding social wayfinding, pedestrian wayfinding, landmarks and social interaction in public space. Wayfinding is known from the existing literature as a social activity, and other people can be considered as cues while navigating. According to this study, humans not only function as users within a public space, but they are also participants in terms of the exploration of the space itself because of their actions within it.
Keywords Social wayfinding, Navigation, Public space, Social cues, Pedestrian behaviour, Space selection
Field Sociology > Tourism / Transport
Published In Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On 2026-10-14
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E-ISSN 2582-2160
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CrossRef DOI prefix of IJFMR is 10.36948/ijfmr

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