Proxemics Flashcards
Proxemics
How we utilize and occupy space
Territory
a fixed geographical area that is occupied, controlled, and defended by a person or group as their exclusive domain
-Often houses valuable resources or possessions
-Allows owner(s) some level of privacy
territoriality and the 4 spaces
Ownership of space
-body territory, primary territories, secondary territories, public territories
Body territory
a person’s physical body as well as personal space bubble
primary territories
territories that belong to someone/a group
Secondary territories
semipublic but some people are more likely to occupy it than others
Public territories
open for use by anyone
Personal space
an invisible adjustable bubble of space that people carry around with them
What is crowding associated with
More stress/discomfort
More dissatisfaction and tension
More violence and maladaptive behavior
Less satisfaction with shopping experiences
Spatial crowding
related to the number of nonhuman elements in the environment(clothing racks, products on display, etc)
Social crowding
the number of people and interactions in the environment
Positive effects of crowding
people feel excitement rather than discomfort(sport events, political events, parties, etc)
Close proximity can be a sign of attraction
Nonverbal immediacy behaviors
Define Nonverbal immediacy behaviors
behaviors that signal approachability, convery interpersonal warmth, are arousing, and create both psychological and physical closeness(smiling, touch, eye contact, social distancing)
density
number of people who occupy a certain territory and can be measured in terms of the number of people per square foot or square mile
Conversational distances(Intimate, personal, social, public)
Intimate: 0-1.5 ft
Personal: 1.5-4 ft
Social: 4-12 ft
Public: 12+ft
Disadvantages of proxemics
It can be difficult to maintain control over proxemics in certain situations(crowded buses)
Dependent on complex social rules that can be different between cultures, sexes, and personalities
Advantages of proxemics
Can send clear messages that are easier to interpret than other channels
Gender and proxemics
-men take up more personal space
-women adapt closer interaction distance and show more nonverbal immediacy than men
Personality factors and proxemics(self esteem, social anxiety, openness, dominance)
-High self esteem=more likely to approach people closely
-High social anxiety=want more distance
-More openness=prefer closer distances
-More dominance=prefer closer personal space
Culture and proxemics
Cultures may differ in their perceptions of what is too crowded
-However, cultures do not differ in the actual impact of crowding on their mental health
