BRITISH passengers aboard the Titanic were less likely to survive than their American counterparts because of their good manners, a study has suggested.
Britons were more likely to surrender their spots on the scarce lifeboats to women and children, and queued for places, while American passengers, concerned for their own survival, displayed brasher behaviour.
In a study of how people react
in situations of life and death, researchers from Australia and Switzerland examined whether people reverted to a "survival of the fittest" mentality when faced with possible death.
They found Britons were 7 per cent less likely to survive the disaster than other nationalities. Americans, on the other hand, were 8.5 per cent more likely to live to tell the tale.
The survival rate among women of both nationalities, however, showed little difference, suggesting that British men were more willing to sacrifice themselves for the "fairer sex". When women only are counted, British passengers on the doomed vessel were only 0.3 per cent less likely to survive, with Americans only 0.4 per cent more likely to do so.
The researchers claim the results show that "cultural background" is a significant factor in such a situation.
The study found that women were 52 per cent more likely to survive compared with the overall average, while children aged 15 and below were 32 per cent more likely to live through it than people aged 51 or more.
David Savage, a behavioural economist at Queensland University of Technology, who was part of the research team, said: "It seems that on the Titanic the social norm of 'women and children first' was followed, as proportionally more women than men and almost all the children on board survived.
"This life-and-death situation was treated as a 'one-shot game' as those who let others on to life-boats knew they faced certain death, and acted out of something other than self-interest."
The Titanic struck an iceberg during its maiden voyage in 1912 and sank shortly afterwards. There were only 1,178 lifeboat spaces to go around the 2,223 people on board. Only 706 survived the disaster, with 1,517 perishing in the Atlantic.
Jo Bryant, the editor of Debrett's, the publisher and leading authority on proper behaviour, said general manners and etiquette prevailed during the early 20th century.
At the time, etiquette guides were popular, both with people climbing the class ladder and with people wanting to signal their status publicly.
Not all mannerisms, of course, have survived until today, said Ms Bryant.
"Certain customs are handed down from generation to generation, although there are some things which do not fit into a modern age."
