Crowding: Effects on Health and Behavior

Crowding refers to negative psychological reactions to highly populated, or high-density, settings. Crowding is almost always an aversive experience. It includes feeling physically constrained and cramped, that others are too close, or that there is not enough elbow room and breathing space. People who experience chronic crowding can become psychologically demoralized, depressed, and anxious. Crowding is sometimes associated with negative social and biological reactions, such as social withdrawal and elevated blood pressure. The relation of high-density exposures to crowding and its consequences is variable and appears to depend on diverse social and personal factors.