Activity and Social Behavior in a Crowded South African Township Nursery: A Follow-up Study on the Effects of Crowding at Home.

Abstract

A follow-up of a study by Liddell and Kruger (1987) into the effects of crowding in a typical South African daycare center is reported. A group of children were studied during their first 5 weeks in a township nursery to determine the degree to which their experience of crowded conditions at home affects their patterns of activity and social behavior at nursery. Household density appeared to exert a moderate influence, with children from crowded homes seeming most compro mised. On the whole, however, the behavior patterns exhibited by new admis sions closely resembled those reported for a previous group who had had 8 months nursery experience.