Reactions to Territorial Contamination as a Function of Culture

Abstract

The present study examined individuals' responses to contamination of private, semipublic, and public territory. It was predicted that individuals would dispose of litter on territory they controlled (private and semipublic) but would not do so on territory that was not under their personal control (public). Previous research demonstrates that territorial classification is influenced by culture and therefore it was expected that culture would influence reactions to territorial contamination. A bag of litter was placed in one of three locations in residences in Greece and the United States: front yard, sidewalk in front of residence, or street curb in front of home. The dependent measure was the amount of time it took for the litter to be removed. The results indicated that there was no difference in the speed of removal between the two cultures when the litter was placed in the yard of the residence. However, the litter was removed significantly more quickly from the sidewalk and street in the United States sample than in the Greek sample. The latter areas are considered semipublic in the United States but public in Greece. It is suggested that behavioral change may be achieved by altering the perception of territorial control.