Interpersonal relations amongst hostel inmates: Role of spatial density

Pages: 941-944
Roomana N. Siddiqui (Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh)
Shabana Mazhar (Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Allahabad)

Spatial density may be related to the experience of crowding but it is argued that spatial density will result in crowding only when this density starts interfering the activities of people. Hostel accommodations in educational institutions are overcrowded where students have to share rooms and other facilities. This has implications for interpersonal relations. To explore this aspect an attempts is made to find out the extent to which spatial density in hostels affect interpersonal relations amongst inmates. It also tries to investigate the role of coping in ameliorating the impact of crowding. Data was collected on 200 students residing in hostels. The crowding experience scale (Nagar & Paulus, 1997) along with items related to four coping strategy namely direct action, avoidance, acceptance and social support was administered. The findings revealed that spatial density did affect interpersonal relations but it was not a direct impact. Its affect on positive relations was mediated by social support but it was uncontrolled disturbance that mediated the impact of density and negative relations.