John B. Calhoun

Common card · No. 257105

John Bumpass Calhoun (; May 11, 1917 – September 7, 1995) was an American ethologist and behavioral researcher noted for his studies of population density and its effects on behavior. He claimed that his observations of the bleak effects of overpopulation on rodents were a grim preview for the future of the human race. During his studies, Calhoun coined the terms "behavioral sink" to describe aberrant behaviors in overcrowded situations, and "beautiful ones" to characterize passive individuals who withdraw from all social interaction under extreme population density. Calhoun's work gained worldwide recognition. He spoke at international conferences and his opinion was sought by groups as diverse as NASA and the District of Columbia's panel on overcrowding in local jails. His rat and mouse studies were a basis for the development of Edward T. Hall's ideas on proxemics. Calhoun's seminal 1962 Scientific American article on "Population Density and Social Pathology" fueled fears of the dystopian...

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