WHY PEOPLE FEEL CROWDED - AN EXAMINATION OF OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE CROWDING

Prior studies have found only a modest relationship between objective and subjective crowding, defying logic and commonsensical notions of w hy people feel crowded. Using data from a representative sample of Ban gkok, Thailand, where the level of household crowding is four times th at in western societies, we explore several possibilities of why this is the case. Examining seven different indicators of objective crowdin g, our analyses suggest that the modest relationship is not an artifac t of measurement. Contrary to the assumption of prior investigations, the findings indicate that the objective-subjective crowding relations hip is nonlinear and that there is a ceiling effect muting the impact of increased objective crowding. The analyses further suggest that the strength of the relationship is mitigated somewhat, with part of the feeling of being crowded accounted for by household circumstances, suc h as the degree of control an individual has over the use of household space.