ScienceDaily: Science & Society News

When designing public spaces or other places where foot traffic is considered, planners and architects need to know how people perceive the spaces in question. It is commonly believed that a space will feel more congested if the crowd density is higher. However, new research suggests that walking speed of individuals actually plays a greater role than crowd density in how someone feels about a busy space. Also, age and gender seem to affect someone's perception of how congested an enclosed space feels to them.