研究问题

How do differences in visible queue length in an interactive online queue simulation affect high school students' line choice?

假设

When one line is visibly more crowded and everything else is the same, high school students may choose the crowded line more often.

Reason: other people's choices can look like a signal of reliability.

为什么重要

In real life, we often choose with incomplete information. A long line can mean more waiting, but it can also look safer or more correct.

Online platforms use similar signals too: likes, views, ratings, downloads, and popularity labels.

我做了什么

I built a one-minute queue-choice simulation. Users see three lines for the same entrance, choose one line, and explain why.

The page records the selected line, the crowded line, whether the crowded line was chosen, response time, and a short reason.

验证任务说明

进入正式页面前的“安全验证”也是研究任务的一部分。它用一个很短的选择题观察：当答案不明确时，人们会不会把更多人选择的队伍当成“更可能正确”的信号。

这个设计是为了减少提前暴露研究目的带来的影响；所有记录仍然是匿名的，只用于课堂研究。

期待的初步发现

The user study has not run yet. I expect some users to choose the crowded line because it feels more reliable or more likely to be correct.

I also expect some users to choose shorter lines because they care more about speed.

下一步

I will add a more controlled version, such as a balanced condition where all lines have similar lengths.

Then I can compare choices with and without a strong crowd signal.