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

it is basically a majority vote. you stop clapping when the applause ceases, yes. but you also stop clapping when you think you had clapped enough given the quality of the performance.