Irvine : UCI Professor Publishes Psychology Handbook

Research facts about how surroundings can affect behavior have been compiled in a newly published book co-edited by UC Irvine professor of social ecology Daniel Stokols and Irwin Altman, vice president for academic affairs at the University of Utah.

Among the material in “Handbook of Environmental Psychology,” published by John Wiley & Sons, are facts about how crowds and noise affect human behavior.

For instance, the book notes that physical and mental illnesses increase among inmates when prisons are overcrowded. It also discusses research indicating that occupational noise is linked to cardiovascular disorders in workers.

“Environmental psychology is the study of the relationship between people and their environments--from homes, classrooms and offices to hospitals and prisons to outdoor environments and environmental stresses such as pollution, noise and traffic,” Stokols said.

“Because of its practical applications, we felt that a handbook that brings together some of the best research in this field would be beneficial, not only to behavioral scientists, but also to environmental practitioners and professional groups, including urban planners, architects, interior designers, landscape architects, transportation analysts and public-policy makers.”