Crowding density in urban environment and its effects on emotional responding of pedestrians: Using wearable device technology with sensors capturing proximity and psychophysiological emotion responses while walking in the street

• Published in: Journal of human behavior in the social environment Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 630 - 646
• Main Authors: Engelniederhammer, Anna, Papastefanou, Georgios, Xiang, Luyao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 04.07.2019; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aversive; Body temperature; Crowding; Density; Emotion; Emotional responses; Emotions; Galvanic skin response; Negative emotions; Pedestrians; Personal space; Physiological psychology; Proximity; Psychophysiology; Responses; Technology; Urban areas; Walking; Wearable computers
• ISSN: 1091-1359; 1540-3556
• DOI: 10.1080/10911359.2019.1579149

We conducted a study to examine the influence of crowding in high-density urban areas on the emotional responses of people. We hypothesized that high density leads to the invasion of a personal space that is surrounding everyone's body which in turn evokes emotional responses, especially negative emotions like stress and aggression. Subjects (n = 30) walked a predefined, crowded path in a Hong Kong commercial center which consisted of urban parts and a park. Along the way, emotional responses were measured psychophysiologically via a wearable device, capturing electrodermal activity, skin temperature, and ambient temperature, among others. Additionally, we used a movement detection sensor to measure the invasion of personal space by other pedestrians. Significant effects of personal space crossings on aversive and appetitive emotional responses are found. Implications for future research are discussed.