Abstract
We offer here a presentation of conceptual and empirical refinements of Barker’s work on manning of behavior settings. The laboratory research followed an ecological, social systems approach in creating different conditions of manning and measuring their effects. Different manning levels produced differences in the subjective experiences of group members, but not in group performance or in patterns of verbal interaction. The manning levels to which they were previously exposed affected group members’ judgments of personnel requirements. Subsequent conceptual work has focused on behavior settings in which staff members provide services to clients. Effects of staffing and population levels on both types of setting occupants are considered in terms of McGrath’s stress model. Adaptive mechanisms designed to avoid problems of client overpopulation in service behavior settings are also discussed. Illustrations of research on these problems are provided by recent work in Yosemite National Park.
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Wicker, A.W., Kirmeyer, S. (1976). From Church to Laboratory to National Park. In: Wapner, S., Cohen, S.B., Kaplan, B. (eds) Experiencing the Environment. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-4259-5_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-4259-5_8
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