proxemics

• Proxemics


  The study of the spatial requirements of humans and how space is structured, used, and perceived
• Proxemics


  • Developed by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in the late 1950s and early 1960s
  • Hall observed distance people maintained with each other and found that different cultures perceive personal space differently
  • The British need a lot of space while the Middle Eastern Arab is comfortable in closer spaces
• Interpersonal distance


  The space between individuals, defines social interactions and reflects comfort levels
• Cultural variations exist, but individuals within a culture have implicit expectations regarding personal space

  
• Encroachment upon personal space can induce feelings of threat, influenced by emotional and motivational factors
• Spatial zones


  • Intimate (0-18 inches)
  • Personal (18 inches - 4 feet)
  • Social (4-10 feet)
  • Public (over 10 feet)

  
• Intimate space


  Space for close relationships, where familiar touch is part of the proximity
• Personal space


  Space for family and friends, where we can reach over and pat the other person's back
• Social space


  Space for casual acquaintances and most professional interactions, where we can't touch others
• Public space


  Space for strangers, where there is no requirement for eye contact or personal contact
• Oxytocin


  A hormone produced in the hypothalamus and secreted into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland, which plays a role in regulating interpersonal distance and affecting social behavior and cognition
• Empathy


  The ability to understand and share the feelings of others
• Trait empathy levels vary among individuals, influencing their reactivity to interpersonal situations
• Highly empathic individuals tend to be more attuned to social cues and may exhibit greater sensitivity to others' emotions and needs