Why Do Cities Make Us Rude?
Why when we are surrounded by people do we tend to shun them? Why do we refuse to make eye contact or say hello? We find out why we act the way we do in cities.
When we are surrounded by people why do we tend to shun them? Why do we refuse to make eye contact or say hello? And, why do tempers flare on busy city streets?
More and more of the world鈥檚 population are moving to cities. As they swell in size our behaviour changes and not always for the better. It is a familiar scene, a busy metro carriage with people pushing and shoving but never saying hello or even making eye contact. Why do cities make us act this way?
To find out we speak to social psychologist Dr Elle Boag about what is happening inside our heads. We ask Marten Sims of the organisation Happy City Lab if buildings can make us rude. We perform the Lost Tourist test to find out just how rude London is.
Olivier Giraud tells us why Parisians never give up their seat to pregnant women on the metro. And, Manhattan manners expert, Thomas Farley defends the city and explains the reason we often have to act the way we do.
(Photo: Man and woman arguing on street. Credit: Shutterstock)
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Clips
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Can buildings make us rude?
Duration: 01:54
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How to be a Parisian
Duration: 01:20
Broadcasts
- Fri 25 Nov 2016 20:32GMT成人快手 World Service Online, Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Fri 25 Nov 2016 21:32GMT成人快手 World Service East Asia & South Asia only
- Sun 27 Nov 2016 11:32GMT成人快手 World Service except News Internet
- Mon 28 Nov 2016 02:32GMT成人快手 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Mon 28 Nov 2016 03:32GMT成人快手 World Service Online, Europe and the Middle East & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Mon 28 Nov 2016 04:32GMT成人快手 World Service East Asia & South Asia only
- Mon 28 Nov 2016 05:32GMT成人快手 World Service Australasia
- Mon 28 Nov 2016 07:32GMT成人快手 World Service East and Southern Africa & Europe and the Middle East only
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