Queuing psychology: Can waiting in line be fun?

Warning: Standing in line can cause extreme boredom, annoyance and even rage, which is precisely why there is a fascinating science devoted to what makes people tick -- and ticked off -- when forced to wait. You may not know it, but the seemingly mundane task of forming a queue at the airport, a fast-food joint or a post-Thanksgiving midnight sale is the subject of careful study by experts in the field of queuing psychology. The findings may not always reduce wait times, but they can cut frustration and make people feel better, or even happy, about waiting in line, said Richard Larson, who has researched queuing psychology for more than two decades. To do that, businesses where people often wait in line must realize some basic principles of queuing psychology. Eliminating empty time, for example, makes waits seem shorter, Larson found in his research. Visitors lining up for attractions at theme parks see this principle at work with queues that often use clever design and technology to make the line itself entertaining. "We like to view [queues] as the first scene in the story, whatever the story of that particular attraction is," said Joe Garlington, creative vice president of interactives at Walt Disney Imagineering, which develops Disney parks and resorts.  The line to one popular attraction at Epcot features cameras and large interactive screens that allow visitors to see themselves and play games, such as trying to burst virtual water balloons to reveal a hidden image, Garlington said. People waiting in line for a comedy show at Walt Disney World are asked to text message jokes that may be used during the main event. "It works as our warm-up act essentially for the show, but it also takes time while people are working through that and so it keeps them entertained while they're waiting," Garlington said. "We do study the psychology, try to understand what our guests are thinking and make sure that we're keeping them happy as they move through the lines." Disney employs more than 75 industrial engineers who help the company with queue management at its parks around the world, said Marilyn Waters, director of media relations at Walt Disney Imagineering.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/20/queuing.psychology/index.html?eref=rss_topstories