Crowding, Performance, and Affect: A Field Experiment Investigating Mediational Processes

Several mediating variables have been suggested for the effects of crowding on mental task performance. Among these are behavioral constraints imposed by crowds, mental overload, and loss of control. The present field experiment investigated the influence of crowding and providing information about the physiological effects of crowding on task performance and on affect, and the extent to which each of these effects is mediated by the 3 potential mediators. The results indicate that the effects of crowding on physical task performance were mediated by mental overload, and the effects on mental task performance and affect were mediated mainly by behavioral constraints. Directions for future research are suggested.