Blood Pressure and Environment

¶ … Crowding Important points to consider regarding crowding include its definition, predisposing attributes, setting conditions, correlation studies, theories, practical effects of crowding, and the author's conclusions. Three main definitions of crowding. The first is density and is the number of people in a specified unit of space. Density is comprised of social density (number of persons in a confined space) and spatial density (when the space is too small for even a small number of people).

The second is that it is also explained as the feeling of too many people in the same place. The same environment can also be experienced as not crowded. The third is physical constraints (a seatbelt is an example). Predisposing attributes: Everyone has them. They consist of culture, prior experience, and motivation. They all influence the feelings and stress associated with crowding. Setting Conditions: Comprised of behavior (people moving around vs.

not moving around), social density (environments which are perceived as crowded), physical constraints (anything physical that gets in the way of tasks), and organization (unorganized environments feel more crowded than organized environments). Note that Freedman (1975) posited the intensification hypothesis which states that crowding enhances the current mood (good or bad) Animal Studies: Behavioral sink was posited by John Calhoun (1962). It holds that animals congregate together to their own detriment even when there is ample physical space, thus, causing harm to the group. Correlational studies: Subject to ecological fallacies.

Most of the correlational studies assumed that crowding results in social pathology. However, some would say that it is the loss of traditions in a crowded environment which are the cause of the resulting social pathology from the sensation of feeling crowded. Theories of Crowding: Three main models (Evans and Lepore 1992) are behavioral constraints, control, and overload arousal. Behavioral constraints happen when one has difficulty completing a task due to crowding. The control theory holds that either a condition in the environment or a predisposing variable explain crowding.

Stress models, including overload/arousal models see a bombardment of the senses as contributing to the feeling of being crowded, and therefore causing stress. Although the control model fits under both the moderator and mediator designations, the other two models fit either the moderator or mediator designation. Negative outcomes are explained by both the constraint and the overload/arousal models. Practical Effects of Crowding: It is important to keep in mind that short-term effects of crowding do not necessarily correlate to long-term effects of crowding.

Although there are a plethora of short-term studies, there have been no conclusive multigenerational studies. Crowding can result in physical symptoms such as sweating, sickness, and increased heart rate and.