NCJ Number
53458
Date Published
1978
Length
26 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW IS PROVIDED OF LITERATURE ON BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CROWDING ON MAMMALS, ESPECIALLY HUMAN BEINGS. THE RESULTS OF A FIELD STUDY OF INCARCERATED MALES ARE ALSO DISCUSSED.
Abstract
AVAILABLE LITERATURE ON ANIMALS DOCUMENTS THE EFFECTS OF CROWDING ON BEHAVIORAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PRESSURE RESPONSES. LITERATURE ON HUMANS, ALTHOUGH IN LARGE PART WEAK AND FULL OF SPECULATION, NEVERTHELESS SUPPORTS THE NOTION THAT PEOPLE REACT IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO THE STRESS IMPOSED BY A CROWDED ENVIRONMENT. A CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF MEN INCARCERATED IN THREE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS SUBSTANTIATES THE HYPOTHESIS THAT, UNDER CONDITIONS OF ENFORCED CROWDING, THERE WILL BE A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE DEGREE OF CROWDING AND BLOOD PRESSURE. RESEARCH ALSO INDICATES THAT LENGTH OF CONFINEMENT AFFECTS INMATES BLOOD PRESSURES. BLOOD PRESSURES ARE HIGHER INITIALLY, FALL IN THE 15-30 DAY CATEGORY, AND RISE PROGRESSIVELY WITH DURATION OF CONFINEMENT AFTER THAT. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST AN INITIAL PERIOD (1-14 DAYS) OF APPREHENSION, ANXIETY, OR NOVELTY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER BLOOD PRESSURES, A SHORT-TERM ADJUSTMENT PERIOD (15-30 DAYS) DURING WHICH PRESSURES AND ANXIETY DECREASE, AND A PROGRESSIVE RISE IN PRESSURE DURING A LONG-TERM ADAPTATION, OR RATHER, MALADAPTATION. FURTHER, PERCEPTIONS OF GUARD ATTITUDES ALSO SEEMED ASSOCIATED WITH PRESSURE LEVELS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)