Abstract
Much of the contemporary interest in the possible psychological effects of crowding1 stems from the combined influence of Calhoun’s (1962) classic studies on crowding effects in animals and the concern about potential psychological consequences of human population growth. Calhoun’s work raised the possibility that humans might display behavior pathology similar to that observed in severely crowded rats. Increasing population growth offers the possibility that the degree of crowding that yielded behavior pathology in Calhoun’s studies may be approached or achieved by large segments of the world’s human population. Even now it is commonly assumed that existing degrees of crowding in urban areas contribute substantially to behavior pathology (Zlutnick & Airman, 1972).
The use of terms such as crowding has not been consistent among authors. Following Rapoport (1975), Stokols (1972), and others, we will use the term spatial density to refer to the number of square feet of floor space in a particular unit. Social density will refer to the number of individuals in a housing unit. Perceived social density will refer to the subjective evaluation of social density by occupants of a unit. Crowding will refer to a condition of either social or spatial density experienced as aversive by the occupants of a unit.
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Cox, V.C., Paulus, P.B., McCain, G., Schkade, J.K. (1979). Field Research on the Effects of Crowding in Prisons and on Offshore Drilling Platforms. In: Aiello, J.R., Baum, A. (eds) Residential Crowding and Design. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2967-1_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2967-1_7
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