Abstract
This article reviews the literature on crowding in non-family and family settings, identifies flaws in past research, presents a model for the study of crowding, and outlines a theory of crowding. Although the focus of this analysis is on crowding within the family, the model and theory are applicable, in principle, to any context in which too many people live in too little space.
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Leonard Beeghley is Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Riverside. His research interest focuses on issues in stratification and theory development. The research reported here is the initial stage of an attempt at understanding the effect of crowding on families.
Denise Donnelly is a Ph.D. candidate, Department of Sociology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. Her current area of interest focuses on cross-cultural perspectives on women's status.