PSY307-Crowding
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Section I
Aggressive and violent behaviors can come from different environmental cues. Crowding is one of them; it has been associated with increased arousal and stress. Crowding is mainly associated with density, which is a small space per person, which then causes a sense of crowding (Baron & Richardson, 1994). Crowding restricts movement, increases high temperatures and creates physical discomfort; as a result, it increases arousal and stress. Having personal space is also very important to everyone, once someone has invaded their personal space than they have other then, triggered a discomfort level. This discomfort level can attribute to aggressive and violent behavior. Freedmen suggest that there is an Intensification Hypothesis, in that crowding intensifies individual’s reactions to different situations” (1994). In other words, if the situation is pleasant then the reaction is pleasant, if the situation is negative than the reaction is negative. There is more to crowding, that can contribute go the increase of arousal in certain situations, such as alcohol and humidity. Crowding can not be prevented, but there are different methods of preventing violence from happening. Sporting events, bars, schools and prisons can train their staff/faculty to notice and learn gestures and behavior that are associated with aggressive behavior, and therefore, limit the sale of alcohol that is being served.
Section II
There are different situations/events of crowding such as, sporting events, bars, schools and prisons, these places are know to have aggressive actions. Graham Bernards, Osgood &Wells(2006), did a study on larger capacity bars and clubs, in order to find any environmental predictors of aggression. They found males more aggressive, but mainly when heavily intoxicated. Environmental factors like, the layout of the business, noise level and the courtesy of the staff, would cause negative affects. If the bar was to be poorly kept, dirty and with bad customer service, they found people to be irritated, making them more aggressive. In a different club there was also a similar layout problem. The more crowded, the harder it was for people to get to their destination. Because it would be longer to travel around the bar, they more frustrated they got. (Macintyre, Police, & Homel). They noticed more uncomfortable they felt, the faster they would consume their drinks, causing them to get into aggressive reactions.
In a male prison, Lawrence and Andrews (2004) found that invading one’s personal space would be irritating and would lead to aggressive behavior. What they found was, crowding was linked with lower psychological and physiological safety, for example, as overcrowding continues to increase, so does the suicide rates. In recent news, the Department of Youth Affairs in Kuam had to release some of their clients because of overcrowding. They are having trouble because of many truancy and a high substance abuse problems that have been started at a young age (Catahay, 2009). Schools that are more crowded are likely to have more violence. According to Peper (2002), it could be that it is easier to identify students in a smaller school, than in larger schools. Therefore, schools are more crowded, have a higher crime rate. The reason is students are not being challenged enough and are bored. Crowded schools also have higher drug related problems, increased homicide rate with the associated increased firearms. Many of these students feel that they have to use anger as a method tool to hide their vulnerability.
Section III
When people go to bars, sporting events and clubs they go to have fun. They do not go out with the intentions to get into a fight. Many times if the environment is positive, for example, everyone is enjoying themselves, the music is good and the drinks are good, everyone is happy. Under certain circumstances, if one person ruins the night by being rude or the staff is negative in which makes people feel unhappy, then the negative outcome is different. People may start to feel uncomfortable, and start to become aggressive with each other.
Crowding in prisons is also a big problem, similar to schools the larger the facility the harder to identify the prisoner. When a fight occurs it is harder for the prison guards to get through the large crowd. Many of the prisoners felt the most irritated during mealtime, because this is the time in which their personal space is being invaded (2004). During mealtime they are sitting closer together with out any space between them, than in any other part of their day. In order to prevent such matters from happening, they should divide the prisoner’s mealtimes to a smaller degree, and during the time when the go to the yard, in order for the prisoners to have more space, and have more security as well.
Children in crowded schools may feel unimportant, because there are so many students in classrooms, they are able to get into trouble or act out, in order to obtain attention in a different way. Teens they may start get into drugs and look toward more dangerous activities. To prevent certain, violent acts from happening, schools should have more security and programs dealing with drugs and violence. Reducing the class size might help teachers to give the students a one on one attention.
Section IV
Crowding is said to be the decreasing of ones own space that would be associated with the increase of arousal and stress, causing aggressive behavior. This year would mark the tenth anniversary of the Columbine Shooting (Chen, 2009). There is speculation that there is no certain reasons in which, the two students would shoot their fellow classmates. This horrible incident could have been prevented, if the school would have had more security, metal dectors and trained faculty.Becoming more aware of violent behaviors and negative affects, would stop future incidents from happening.
Reference
Baron, R.A, & Richardson, D.R (1994). Human Aggression. New York: Plenum Press.
Byrnes, Dr.J Operations and Events: Creating a higher Quality fans experience by preventing Aggressive behavior. Retrieved May 20, 2009, from LAAM
Catahay, M, (May 18, 2009). DYA'S crowding is so bad, clients are being released. Retrieved May 20, 2009, from Kuam.com/bm/news
Chen, S. (April 20, 2009). Debunking the Myth: Of Columbine, 10 years later. From CNN.com/Crime
Graham, K., Bernards, S., Osgood, D.W., & Wells, S. (2006). Bad nights or bad bars? Multi-level analysis of environmental predictors of aggression in late-night large capacity bars and clubs. The society of Addiction, 101, 1569-1579.
Lawrence, C., & Andrews, K. (2004). The Influence of Perceived Prison Crowding on Male Inmates' Perception of Aggressive Events. Aggressive Behavior. 30, 273-283. Macintyre, S., Police, V., & Homel, R. Danger on the Dance Floor: A study of interior Design, Crowding and Aggression in Nightclubs. 91-113.
Peper, E.S. (2002).The relationship between school violence, childhood anger, and the use of preventions and interventions in schools. 1-41.
Ryan-Zeedyk, J., & Smith, G, F. (1983). The Effects of Crowding on Hostility, Anxiety, and Desire for Social Interaction. The Journal of Social Psychology. 120, 245-252.
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