Physical and psychological factors associated with perceptions of crowding: An analysis of subcultural differences.

Determined whether psychological and physical factors that had been previously associated with perceptions of environmental crowding differed with the cultural characteristics of urban residents. 697 working and nonworking White, Black, and Chicano residents of Riverside-San Bernardino, California, were surveyed to ascertain perceived crowding in the residence, neighborhood, and city. Multiple regression analysis showed that psychological factors indicative of the impact of physical conditions on the individual provided the best explanation for the perception of crowding for White Ss. Black and Chicano groups, however, tended to view crowding at each of the analysis levels in terms of the total urban "gestalt," associating physical measures beyond their implicated impact. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)