- We're going to talk about proxemics, or the distance that people
prefer between themselves and other people. It's a key part of communication
and daily interaction. I'm working out of
Beebe & Masterson's book on Communicating in Small
Group, but this research is in numerous books across the field. So let's get into it. (upbeat music) So the key point here,
the overarching idea, as we look at all of these things is that the amount of space
that we put between ourselves and others depends upon a
lot, like the relationship, the situation, the context. If you were in, for
example, a crowded room, like a crowded nightclub, you would allow and feel okay with much
more personal contact with other people, than you would if you
were in an outdoor park or other kinds of big public situation. So it really depends on a lot of factors. Nevertheless, there are some norms that we are going to look at. Proxemics, quickly put,
is the study of how close or far we choose to be from
other people and objects. And studying proxemics helps
us understand our own use of personal space and gives us clues about our relationship with other people. Edward T. Hall developed this research. He came up with the four zones of space. The closest is the intimate zone, between 0 and 1.5 feet, the personal zone, which is 1.5 to 4 feet, the social zone, which is 4 to 12 feet, and beyond that is the
public zone, beyond 12 feet. So we're going to look at each of these and what they all mean in order. So first, let's look at the intimate zone. This is between 0 and 1.5 feet. So 0 means you're probably touching, and most personal and
intimate conversations happen in this distance. We see this distance between
friends and intimate partners, best friends, in fact, and parents and young
children, especially. And we only really see
it in group situations and in a work situation, let's say, if somebody is
leaning in to whisper something to somebody for just a moment. This is the distance where
kisses and hugs happen. This is the distance
where headbutts happen. So this is an extremely intimate zone, where almost anything can happen, and which is why we allow very few people into this intimate zone. The second zone is the personal zone. This is 1.5 feet to 4 feet. Conversations with
family and close friends happen in this zone. In groups, let's say
you're in a group setting, you might be this distance
from other people, but some people in the group may feel that this is too personal. This kind of space is a bit too close. This is the distance
where handshakes happen, high-fives happen, a slap
on the back would happen for a good job. This is also, though, fighting distance, which is why not everybody
is comfortable with it. If somebody is close enough
to punch you or kick you, then there is a bit of
vulnerability we may feel when we're in this personal zone. Number three is the social zone. This is 4 to 12 feet. Most group interactions
happen in this zone. This is where interactions with coworkers and other kinds of professionals occurs. This is close enough to
pass objects back and forth, close enough to sit around a table, close enough to talk to
somebody across a desk in an office situation. Still, sometimes, because
it's 4 to 12 feet, sometimes it's a little
too close to people, if people are jammed in there. And so what you'll see
is often people trying to maintain their territory
in very specific ways. For example, they might make big gestures to claim a little bit
more space around them. They might place objects, like
they might put a coffee mug in a certain position so that
no one comes into that space. They may lay their papers and notebooks out around a table that way. They may choose a certain
seating arrangement that helps them maintain
a little bit more space. This is the social zone. And because it happens in the workplace, and it has such a huge
expanse from 4 to 12 feet, you see a lot of maneuvering
around this distance. And then the last one is the public zone, 12 feet and beyond. Teachers and public speakers
often stand this distance when we're interacting with each other. This is the distance you'd likely choose, however, if you were in an
almost empty restaurant, or an almost empty library or museum. Certainly, if you were outdoors
in some public situation, you would be 12 feet and beyond. If you get closer than
this in one of those public situations, where you
don't have a relationship with other people, usually there's a pretty
good reason for it, like there's a big crowd there. Otherwise, we choose lots of space. So why does this matter? Well, our increased awareness
of the kinds of proxemics preferences that we have and others have will help us to adjust to other people in conversations and in relationships. For example, you may want to
respect other people's needs for more space. Usually people have a comfortable distance that they're willing
to be to someone else. They have a bubble and you
don't want to enter that bubble unless the other person
seems like they want to be that close to you. So the key tip takeaway here, especially when you're getting personal, is it's riskier to get
too close to somebody, to stand too close, than it is to maintain a slightly more respectful distance. So don't get too close too fast. Make sure you maintain a distance and let the other person
adjust to you as well. So question of the day, have you ever gotten feedback
on your personal use of space? Do you stand too close? Do you stand too far? I would love to hear your
comments and your comfort level with distance to other people
in that comment section below. So, thanks. I will see you soon. Take care.
