Session 10:    Readings: Chapter 9 & 10   In the next two chapters you will be introduced to some of the central issues in environmental psychology . These topics are Population density, Urbanization, and Crowding that are described in chapter 9. Next, some important aspects of community life including territoriality, privacy and personal space are discussed in chapter 10.   There is an increasing concern and awareness today about the global overpopulation. At the current growth rates the world 's population is currently growing by an average of over 100,000 people per day. One of the fundamental issues in the area of environmental psychology is predicting the effects of population growth, so this chapter is a very important one.   The increasing numbers of people have also accelerated the rates of urbanization. Some researchers claim that the major problems of society today are coping with urbanization. Your book presents a graph of the world human population from 8000 BC to 2000 AD    Since the majority of our population lives in the large cities it is not surprising that most environmental psychologists have studied the effects of Urbanization. Your book describes some theories and speculations of urban effects, compares urban and rural environments and also considers some of benefits of urbanization.   Crowding has been studied in animals with respect to naturally occurring population cycles and experimentally controlled populations. The seminal work of Calhoun and the concept of behavioral sink is a classic example of animal studies that are experimentally controlled. There have also been studies with humans that have mostly been descriptive and correlational.   A major problem with studying population density is the lack of agreement among researchers on a measure of population density. Some researchers have distinguished density and crowding stating that density is a physical condition involving space limitations whereas crowding is more of an experiential state.   Some experimental studies have been done in population density and dependent variables that have been examined include physiological reactions, task performance and social behavior.   Your book discusses crowding in everyday life settings including residential and recreational areas.   The next chapter discusses how people use and react to physical space in their environment.   Humans and animals practice Territorial behavior. The construct of territoriality is first described and some important differences between human and animal territoriality are considered . Three types of territoriality is described.   The construct of privacy is next defined and Altman's eight features of privacy are discussed. Researchers have attempted to distinguish between territoriality and personal space. Territoriality is relatively stationary with visible boundaries and larger than personal space. Personal space has an invisible boundary that others should not trespass and it is portable and moves with us. Anthropologist Hall has distinguished four personal space zones that we all have.    Your book describes some of the common methods use to study personal space including traditional laboratory methods, simulation methods, field methods and observational methods.   Essays   1. What so studies of both the physical and mental health of city dwellers indicate about them in comparison with non-city dwellers? What are some of the problems researchers have in taking valid measures of comparison? Activities   1. Position yourself with another person on each side of a busy doorway through which many people must pass. Involve yourself in a lively conversation for 10 minutes and watch the reactions of passersby, whom you have placed in the role of personal space "invaders". What do they do? Do they force their way through, wait for you to invite them to pass or look for an alternate exit? Next, remain in your position without conversation for another 10 minutes and note again the reactions of passersby. Is your personal space more of less difficult to invade when you are talking? Based on this exercise and the discussion of personal space in the book summarize your impressions of personal space in a page or less.  Because of Spring Break, you have two weeks to complete this session.  This exercise is due March 29th.