The role of interior design elements in human responses to crowding.

Abstract

The role or interior design elements in mitigating the negative relationship between residential crowding and psychological health was investigated. Residents of crowded homes with greater architectural depth-the number of spaces one must pass through to get from one room in the house to another-are less likely to socially withdraw or to be psychologically distressed than residents in crowded homes with relatively low depth. Additional analyses suggest that greater depth buffers the association between residential crowding and psychological distress because it reduces social withdrawal among residents of crowded homes.Despite a voluminous literature on crowding and human behavior (Altman, 1975;Baum & Paulus, 1987;Evans & Lepore, 1992), there has been limited scholarly analysis of the role of environmental design elements in human responses to crowding. In this article, we examine the potential utility of space syntax theory (Hillier & Hanson, 1984;Peponis, Zimring, & Choi, 1990;Zimring & Gross, 1991) to study the relations among residential crowding, design elements, and human well-being.There have been a few studies on design and crowding. Dorm rooms with more light were perceived as less crowded than same-sized rooms with less natural light (Schiffenbauer, Brown, Perry, Shulack, & Zanzola, 1977). Parallel results were found in an experimental study using stick figures in a model room (Baum & Davis, 1976). In a series of studies, Baum and colleagues have also examined how architectural interventions change residents' reactions to crowded living conditions. In the

Built Environment and Mental Health

“…95,96 The size, location, and permeability of interior rooms influence the degree of social control afforded to residents. 97,98 Territoriality, the ability to monitor and regulate use of space, is related to the physical environment. Tall, large structures, long interior corridors, lack of small group spaces, and poor visual surveillance capability (e.g., inability to monitor entrances, places for concealment) interfere with territorial control and feelings of ownership, and are associated with both actual crime levels and fear of crime.…”

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“…Males have more need for personal space when ceiling height is low (Cochran, Urbanczyk 1982). People desire more space in a narrow room, and persons exhibit more personal space in corners than in the centre of a room, and maintain a closer distance when standing than while seated (Evans et al 1996).…”

Loneliness, shyness, and depression: The etiology and interrelationships of everyday problems in living.

“…Finally, research from several domains has shown that the physical structure of living environments (e.g., dormitories) has a significant impact on the frequency and quality of social interactions (Baum & Davis, 1980;Evans, Lepore, & Schroeder, 1996).…”