Essay on The Effects of Population Density and Noise - Psy...

Running head: The Effects of Population and Noise Pollution The Effects of Population Density and Noise Pollution University of Phoenix PSY 460 Dr. Michael Mckellip The Effects of Population Density and Noise The term population density is described as a measurement of the number of people in an area. It is calculated by dividing the number of people by area. As of the last U.S. census, the average population density of the United States was 87.4 people per square mile (US Census Bureau, 2010). This is just an objective fact though and has little, if any, applicability to the average American’s daily life. However, when issues of excess population noise and†¦show more content†¦The use of sound absorbing materials and sound canceling technology reduces noise to bearable levels. It is important to remember that even though the effects of noise are cumulative, noise itself is not. Only by reducing the loudest sounds can the decibel (db) level be reduced. If medium range noises are eliminated the overall db level does not go down substantially, since db does not follow a linear pattern. Territoriality, Privacy, and Personal Space Pr oxemics is the study of the human use of space within the context of culture and has been point out by anthropologist Edward T. Hall (1966). Proxemics refers fours fundamental areas: space, distance, privacy and territory. In regard to the concept of noise, the positioning of people in their social and physical worlds is predicated on cultural, psychological, and environmental influences. Territoriality Human territoriality is the attempt to control what goes on in a specific geographical area. There are various ways to control space that range from pure physical force of an individual to organized sets of laws. Most geographers believe that human territoriality differs from the territorial behavior observed in other forms of life because human behavior is learned and animal behavior is instinctive. In humans, territoriality falls within three domains: primary, secondary, and public. PrimaryShow MoreRelatedImplication for the Future Teampaper1954 Words   |  8 PagesThe Effects of Population Density and Noise Buffy Welch October 22, 2012 PSY/ 460 Jennifer McBlaine Population density and noise has an effect on individuals in many different ways. When an individual’s privacy, territory, personal space has been infringed upon by another or the chronic to short-term noise has an effect on an individual that ranges from simple annoyance to severe intrusive anxiety- producing illness (Straub, 2007). As the population density increases every year, an individual