The Effects of Population Density and Noise PSY/460 November 3, 2013 Running head: THE EFFECTS OF POPULATION DENSITY AND NOISE 1 THE EFFECTS OF POPULATION DENSITY AND NOISE 2 Christine Hander The Effects of Population Density and Noise Population density and noise can have many effects on individuals. Population density is the amount of people, which live in a particular area. Along with population density, comes noise; noise is typically an unwanted distraction. In this paper the subject to discuss is the concepts of territoriality, privacy, and personal space; examine how the concepts of territoriality, privacy, and personal space have become increasingly important as populations become denser; clarify the effect nature has on individuals living in urban environments, describe the concept of noise and examine the effect it has on individuals; and examine strategies that can be used to reduce noise in the workplace or in the living environment. Concepts of Territoriality, Privacy, and Personal Space Territories are areas marked and defended by their owners and often used for life-sustaining activities (Territoriality, 2004). The most common example of a person's territory would be his or her home because one tends to personalize and defend what is theirs. A person identifies themselves with his or her territory and any threat to that territory feels like a threat to themselves (Territoriality, 2004). A person feels connected to his or her territory and sees it as a means to satisfying his or her needs within society. Privacy is the selective control of access to oneself and group (Privacy, 2004). A person has the ability to decide who to allow in his or her territory or personal space. A person's personal space describes the emotionally tinged zone around the human body that a person feels is his or her space and can be described as a soap bubble, a snail shell, and an aura around the human body (Personal Space, 2004). As populations become denser the concepts of territoriality, privacy, and personal space have become increasingly important. As a population grows a person will display territorial behavior and have the need for more privacy and personal space as a means to escape the pressures of the environment and noise. A person within his or her territory are more confident, feel that they have control, and are more apt to fight back than if they were in someone else's territory. The reason is because a person feels connected to his or her territory and sees it as a means to satisfying his or her needs within society. Some of the benefits of human territorial behavior are access to the resources within that territory, status, personal space, privacy, and preserves one's identity. Typically a person is able to decide who to allow in his or her territory and when, which allows a person to have privacy when it is needed. The drawbacks of human territorial behavior are b ...

1. The Effects of Population Density and Noise
PSY/460
November 3, 2013
Running head: THE EFFECTS OF POPULATION DENSITY
AND NOISE
1
THE EFFECTS OF POPULATION DENSITY AND NOISE
2
Christine Hander
The Effects of Population Density and Noise
Population density and noise can have many effects on
individuals. Population density is the amount of people, which
live in a particular area. Along with population density, comes
noise; noise is typically an unwanted distraction. In this paper
the subject to discuss is the concepts of territoriality, privacy,
and personal space; examine how the concepts of territoriality,
privacy, and personal space have become increasingly important
as populations become denser; clarify the effect nature has on
individuals living in urban environments, describe the concept

2. of noise and examine the effect it has on individuals; and
examine strategies that can be used to reduce noise in the
workplace or in the living environment.
Concepts of Territoriality, Privacy, and Personal Space
Territories are areas marked and defended by their owners and
often used for life-sustaining activities (Territoriality,
2004). The most common example of a person's territory would
be his or her home because one tends to personalize and defend
what is theirs. A person identifies themselves with his or her
territory and any threat to that territory feels like a threat to
themselves (Territoriality, 2004). A person feels connected to
his or her territory and sees it as a means to satisfying his or her
needs within society. Privacy is the selective control of access
to oneself and group (Privacy, 2004). A person has the ability to
decide who to allow in his or her territory or personal space. A
person's personal space describes the emotionally tinged zone
around the human body that a person feels is his or her space
and can be described as a soap bubble, a snail shell, and an aura
around the human body (Personal Space, 2004).
As populations become denser the concepts of territoriality,
privacy, and personal space have become increasingly
important. As a population grows a person will display
territorial behavior and have the need for more privacy and
personal space as a means to escape the pressures of the
environment and noise. A person within his or her territory are
more confident, feel that they have control, and are more apt to
fight back than if they were in someone else's territory. The
reason is because a person feels connected to his or her territory
and sees it as a means to satisfying his or her needs within
society. Some of the benefits of human territorial behavior are
access to the resources within that territory, status, personal
space, privacy, and preserves one's identity. Typically a person
is able to decide who to allow in his or her territory and when,
which allows a person to have privacy when it is needed. The
drawbacks of human territorial behavior are becoming overly
protective of the territory can lead to antisocial behavior,

3. loneliness, and can cause hostile behavior. A person may
become obsessed with protecting his or her territory and
alienate those around them.
The Effect of Nature
Zoos, parks, and gardens provide those living an urban
environment the opportunity to develop an environmental
identity that is nurtured rather than inhibited (Clayton & Myers,
2009). Zoos, parks, and gardens enhance a person’s interest in
animals and the nature around them. Nature allows a person to
get away from noise and the denser population. Direct contact
with nature for those living in an urban environment can lead to
an increase in mental health and psychological development.
Nature environments like zoos, parks, and gardens provide a
person with a place to relax, a way to reduce stress, restore
mental clarity, increase one’s sense of well-being, and improve
performance and physical health (Davis, 2008).
Concept of Noise
Noise is unwanted sound and what may be a wonderful sound to
one person may be noise to another. According to Noise: effects
on health (2007) noise can cause stress, impair mental health;
affect one’s sleep quality, performance, and cognition. A person
whom is exposed to long periods of noise can become stressed,
which can lead to higher blood pressure and heart rate and
affect a person’s overall health. Those who are sensitive to
noise may have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep for
any length of time. If a person does not get enough sleep he or
she may have difficulty paying attention or completing a task
properly and may become easily aggravated.
Environmental noise is unwanted sound in one’s
community except the noise that originates in the workplace
(Goines & Hagler, 2007). Environmental noise is a form of air
pollution and is a treat to a person’s health and well-being.
Environmental noise has become more of a severe problem
because of population growth, urbanization, and other mobile
sources of noise (Goines & Hagler, 2007). This noise interferes
with one’s ability to pay attention, communicate, and recreation

4. time. The human body is equipped to react to noise with a fight
or flight response, which can cause nervous, hormonal, and
vascular changes (Goines & Hagler, 2007). Environmental noise
can impair one’s ability to enjoy their territory, privacy, and
personal space, and can lead to antisocial behavior.
Strategies to Reduce Noise in the Workplace or Living
Environment
Unfortunately, there is no way to eliminate noise in the
workplace or in one’s living environment, but a person can
reduce the amount the noise, which is causing the problem. The
first step to reducing noise pollution is to control the
environment the best one can, which will limit the amount of
noise that enters one’s personal space. A person can apply
weather stripping to the windows or install double-paned
windows to reduce noise. An employee can talk to his or her
employer about techniques to reduce office noise such as
installing a door so that the unwanted noise can be blocked. A
person can try adding white noise, which can reduce
environmental noise. An example of white noise would be
playing a CD of nature sounds or other favorite types of music.
This will allow a person to concentrate and will help reduce
stress. Noise pollution causes stress therefore one should use
stress relieving techniques such as breathing exercises,
mediation, or yoga to remain focused on the task at hand. Other
stress relieving techniques are exercise, emotion-focused, and
problem-focused coping. Exercise is the best way for a person
to cope with the stress in his or her life because it makes a
person feel better mentally and can boost one's energy levels.
Other coping strategies are emotion-focused and problem-
focused coping. Emotion-focused coping deals with the
emotional reactions to stress and problem-focused coping is
reducing the demands of the stressful situation or increase the
resources for meeting the demands of the situation (Straub,
2007).
Conclusion
Population density and noise can have many effects on

5. individuals. The more crowded one’s environment becomes,
more environmental noise is produced. Population density and
noise can cause a person to become stressed, which can lead to
other health issues. To escape from the crowded and noisy
environment one may retreat to his or her territory where he or
she has privacy and personal space. A person identifies
themselves with their territory and any threat to that territory
feels like a threat to themselves (Territoriality, 2004). A person
feels connected to his or her territory and sees it as a means to
satisfying his or her needs within society. Nature is another way
a person can escape from environmental noise and population
density. The nature environment allows one to feel a sense of
connection with his or her environment. Other ways of reducing
noise in one’s environment is to control the environment the
best one can, which will limit the amount of noise that enters
one’s personal space. Although, one cannot control how
crowded or how noisy their environment becomes, he or she has
options to escape from these environmental stressors or to at
least reduce the environmental noise so that he or she can
concentrate on the task at hand.
References
Clayton, S. & Myers, G. (2009). Conservation Psychology:
Understanding and promoting human care for nature. Hoboken,
NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
Davis, J. (2008). Psychological Benefits of Nature Experiences.
Retrieved July 9, 2012, from
http://www.johnvdavis.com/ep/benefits.htm
Goines, L., & Hagler, L. (2007). Noise Pollution: A Modem
Plague. Southern Medical Journal, 100( 3), 287-294, 8p.
Noise: effects on health. (2007). In Cambridge Handbook of
Psychology, Health and Medicine. Retrieved from
http://www.credoreference.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/entry

6. /cupphm/noise_effects_on_heal
Personal Space. (2004). In Encyclopedia of Applied
Psychology. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.credoreference.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/
entry/estappliedpsyc/personal_space
Privacy. (2004). In Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology.
Retrieved from
http://www.credoreference.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/entry
/estappliedpsyc/privacy
Straub, R.O. (2007). Health Psychology (2nd Ed.) New York,
NY: Worth Publishers.
Territoriality. (2004). In Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology.
Retrieved
from http://www.credoreference.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com
/entry/estappliedpsyc/territorialit