How does an audience collectively decide the applause is over?

Question

I think most people figure they’ll clap until the applause dies down. But if everyone were to think like that we would clap forever. How does the audience hive mind, for lack of a better term, stop the applause?

In: Other

Answer 1

Either

1. Something else is happening. Like the lights turn on and it’s time to go.

2. As people drop out of applause others are more likely to follow. Cascading into it stopping completely