Proxemics Acitivity

Here is a fun and interactive activity for you to try. Next time you are on an elevator, try to think about these 6 things and see how either you, or other people, react.

1) While you are waiting for the elevator, look at how many people are waiting with you. If you are alone, would you feel more or less comfortable with more people there.

2) If there are 1 or 2 people on the elevator, notice where they are standing. Are they leaning against they walls or standing in the corners?

3) Now what happens when more people enter the elevator. If there are more than four people, how does everyone arranged themselves to give a maximum amount of personal space to one another.

4) Ask yourself "How close is too close to stand beside someone" Are you in someone's way? If so, what actions do you make for one another to be comfortable.

5) Notice what people look at in a crowded elevator. Did anyone make eye contact with you. If so, was it akward and did you imediately look away?

6) When can you talk to someone on the elevator? Do you have to know them first?

All these questions can be completely related to Proxemics. For example, we tend to maximize space on an elevator by standing in the corners and leaning against the walls. When elevators get crowded they also tend to remain quite, even if someone was previously talking before entering the elevator. People also tend to not make eye contact and stare at the level indicator light as the elevator travels. All these aspects are part of the cultural aspects of Proxemics. In other countries, riding an elevator may be a totally different experience due to what that culture may find as normal.

A Little on Proxemics

http://itotd.com/articles/620/proxemics/

Proxemics

The study of personal space

Before we embarked on our recent trip to Indonesia, we did as much research as we could to prepare ourselves for what we would encounter. Along with other social customs, such as forms of greeting and what is considered appropriate to wear, we learned that the idea of personal space is very different in Indonesia. In addition to tropical heat, large bugs, and infectious diseases, I thought of this as just another challenge to be faced as part of our adventure.

I wasn’t prepared for how much this difference would affect me. We did experience searing heat, spiders the size of coasters, and a few bouts of minor illness, but surprisingly these discomforts paled in comparison to our discomfort in navigating crowded streets and markets. It wasn’t just the huge numbers of people in a small space that got to us, because we have faced similar situations in the large North American cities we’ve lived in. It was partly the way people frequently came into close proximity even when there was plenty of space around and there was therefore no need to do so. In addition, we couldn’t remain invisible; even people who kept their distance were constantly asking us to buy something or just noticing us. While for these folks there was nothing out of the ordinary in these interactions, some instinct in us registered these approaches as invasive.

Don’t Stand So Close To Me
In 1966 anthropologist Edward T. Hall coined the term proxemics to describe the study of how people perceive the proximity of others. Hall’s work was inspired by an animal study conducted by Swiss zoologist Heini Hediger, who found that animals maintained various boundaries depending on whether they were preparing to escape, to attack, to communicate with members of another species, or relating to a member of their own species.

Based on these insights, and after conducting his own research, Edward Hall developed the idea of a set of expanding circles, called reaction bubbles, that described how humans manage the space around them. The innermost circle he identified as Intimate space, reserved for those we are closest to, and usually measuring 6 to 18 inches (15 to 45cm) in radius. The next level up he dubbed Personal space, the distance we are comfortable maintaining with close friends, about 1.5 to 4 feet (0.5 to 1.2m). He used the term Social space to indicate our preferred proximity to acquaintances, about 5–12 feet (1.5–3.6m), and Public space for the distance we need for public speaking, 12–25 feet or more (3.6–7.6m).

This sounds very specific, but Hall himself acknowledged that these distances vary from culture to culture. While those from less-populated countries, or countries where individualism and privacy are highly valued, are more comfortable with larger spaces between themselves and others, in other cultures maintaining what is considered excessive distance can be perceived as rude or unfriendly.

Ignorance is Bliss
Because in certain situations it is not always possible to keep our preferred distance from others—for example in crowded subway cars or elevators—we learn coping mechanisms to deal with our discomfort. Psychologists observe that individuals in these circumstances often avoid eye contact as a way to minimize the forced intimacy of close quarters. Another strategy we employ, according to psychologist Robert Sommer, is to dehumanize those around us, imagining them as inanimate objects in our personal space instead of the more anxiety-producing fellow creatures they are.

I think these strategies are in play in most large cities and in other situations where it’s is too threatening to acknowledge the close presence of others. My own discomfort is assuaged by passing others anonymously on a crowded sidewalk, or keeping to myself in a cramped airplane cabin. Of course, the illusion of space is shattered when I’m approached on the street, or when the passenger behind me starts kicking my chair. At these moments I feel my blood pressure rise, my stomach clench, and my temper grow short. While this reaction might be appropriate in truly life-threatening situations, nothing is at stake most of the time. Maybe knowing that I am responding only to a perceived threat to my safety will help me to remain calm the next time this happens. Then again, maybe not. —Morgen Jahnke

What exactly are Proxemic Zones?

First of all, we would like to clarify what the term Proxemics means. Proxemics is the study of a person's use of space. It includes the way people use space in their conversations as well as perceptions of other people's use of space. 


More specifically, Proxemic Zones are the subcategories of Proxemics that are broken down into four different spatial zones. These zones are used for different reasons and in various situations. The four zones are:


Intimate Distance (0-18 inches): This zone is appropriately named "intimate distance" because it is the zone where people who have an "intimate relationship" spend their time. In this zone, behaviors range from touch, to being able to observe a person's facial characteristics. People often whisper in this zone. While this zone is comfortable for those who are in an intimate relationship, for strangers or people who are not fond of one another, this zone can be awkward and, sometimes, cause a troublesome situation. For example, when you step on an elevator full of people you do not know, those people invade your intimate space. You may begin to feel awkward, especially because you do not know the people who are standing so close to you.  


Personal Distance (18 inches - 4 feet): This zone is reserved for friends and family members; those who you have a "personal", but not an "intimate" relationship with. In this zone, behaviors encompass being as close as holding another person's hand, to keeping someone at arm's length away from you. Here, a normal speaking volume and pitch are used. An example of this zone includes holding hands with a close friend or walking through the mall with a family member. 


Social Distance (4 feet - 12 feet): This zone is reserved for more casual relationships and interactions, such as those between co-workers. In this zone, people have a larger space between them, which allows them to complete other tasks while having a conversation with someone, but also requires them to act in a more formal fashion and speak in a louder voice. Two good examples of this zone include co-workers who often complete various tasks while having conversations with one another, and people who attend a cocktail party, where is it common to remain further away from other guests, but continue to engage in causal conversation. 


Public Distance (12 feet - ): This zone is reserved for fairly formal discussions, such as the discussion between a Professor and a student. In this zone, people have somewhat of an interaction with one another, however, it is usually limited to a more "lecture-style" conversation, where one person is talking and the other is simply listening. A good example of this zone is in Theatre. Actors utilize this type of distance in their performances: one, to make the play more visible to the crowd; and two, so that the entire crowd feels as if they are part of the play itself. 


Burgoon, Judee. "Expectancy Violations Theory ." Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application. pgs. 131-133. Ed.  Michael Ryan . New York, New York : The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. , 2010. Print.