Population density and social pathology.

Abstract

Social and behavioral scientists have suggested linkages between population densities and &dquo;pathological&dquo; behaviors. An early study by John B. Calhoun (1962) described the deviant behavior of rats who were given sufficient food and water but crowded into substantially higher density quarters than their natural habitat. He observed the following &dquo;pathological&dquo; behaviors under these conditions: increased mortality; lower fertility rates; neglect of the young by their mothers; overly aggressive and conflict-oriented behavior; withdrawal from community life; and sexual aberrations. More recently, sociologists Galle et al. (1972) described linkages between population density and indicators of human social &dquo;pathologies&dquo; in 75 community areas of Chicago. They found significant statistical relationships between high densities in these areas and high mortality rates, low fertility rates, high public assistance rates, high juvenile delinquency rates, and high admissions to mental hospitals. Of course, high densities in Chicago were related to ethnicity, social, class, and poverty, which were themselves related to social pathology; but Galle et al. report that high densities contribute to social pathology even after controlling for the effect of these other demographic variables.