Proxemics

The proxemics examined (from Latin proximus " neighbor " ) and describes the signals of individuals who replace them with ingesting a certain distance from each other. The proxemics is a field of psychology and communication studies, as well as a portion of the Lokomotorik.

Description

Proxemics explores social and cultural meanings that connect people with their personal and professional spatial environment. So concerned with the spatial behavior as a part of non-verbal communication. The term was originally coined by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in the sixties of the 20th century. The proxemics has the character of unwritten territorial laws as the a biological instinct. The feeling of these distances, or the room in general can be different depending on the culture.

The distances are expressed in small-scale behaviors. In the simplest case it is through regular use or by setting markers, for example, aware of objects placed in, such as a newspaper or a towel, serve to reserve a place in a reading room or on a beach.

Or higher social Asked persons may take more physical contacts as subordinates: The supervisor knocks the subordinates on the shoulder, but not vice versa.

Subregions

• Distance: intimate, personal, social, public
• Direction: eye contact and attention in the body interaction
• Contact: mostly on the hands, arms, shoulder, back or head.

Classification of distances

• Intimate Distance: up to 45 cm
• Personal distance: 45 to 120 cm
• Social distance: 120-360 cm
• Public distance: from 360 cm

However, these distances are culturally dependent. Example can be seen in the difference of the distances between North and South Americans:

" The normal distance in communication between strangers shows the importance of the dynamics of spatial interaction. The other person backs away - When a person gets too close, prompt and automatically the reaction follows. And if the other person be succeeded, we deviate back on. I see flinch the entire length of a corridor in front of foreigners, which they perceive as too intrusive ( U.S. ) Americans. "