lec-9 Proxemics(1)-converted.pdf

1. ARCHITECTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
PROXEMICS
Prepared By
Farah Jamil

2. PROXEMICS: The Study Of Space
“Thousand of experiences teach us, that space communicates”
E.T.Hall (1990 p 161)

3. • When our communication is supplemented by the aspects of non verbal cues, – like
facial expression, gestures etc- its message, makes the interpretation of the sender’s
meaning complete.
• 55% of the impact of a message, which reaches the listener, is through the non verbal
mode. (Albert Mehrabian)
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: Broader Context

4. • Knapp’s (1971), one
of the scholars in this
field has classified
non verbal
communication in the
following way.
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: Broader Context

5. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: Broader Context

6. PROXEMICS
• Is the study of human use of space and the effects that population density has on behaviour,
communication, and social interaction.
• In other words the study of how human beings communicate through their use of space
• Proxemics is one among several subcategories in the study of nonverbal communication,
including haptics (touch), kinesics (body movement), vocalic (paralanguage), and
chronemics (structure of time).
• It is described as a set measurable distances between people as they interact.
• Edward T. Hall, the cultural anthropologist who coined this term in 1963. The Hidden
Dimension, Hall emphasized the impact of proxemics behaviour (the use of space) on
interpersonal communication. Proxemics remains a hidden component of interpersonal
communication that is uncovered through observation and strongly influenced by culture.

7. PROXEMICS
• “Humans are territorial animals, everyday people claim space, built on it and this way,
mark their territory” (Hall 1989; p: 59).
• A student feels uncomfortable in a class, when he finds his seat to be taken by
someone else. This gives a vulnerable feeling that someone has invaded his/her
personal space or territory. This shows that the people are anchored in space and
have developed a strong sense of territory.
• developed a strong sense of territory.
• ‘Hall sets forth a theory about how people react to others at various distances from
their own bodies, indicating thereby a sense of territoriality, similar to that shown by
animals or birds and develops notation for this purpose.”
• (Blyth 1976; p 117)

8. PROXEMICS: Fundamental Areas
• There are three fundamental areas with which the experts in the field categorize
Proxemics
1. Distance
2. Spaces
3. Modes of Behaviour and Perception

9. PROXEMICS: Distance
There are types of distances in
Proxemics
1. Intimate
2. Personal
3. Social
4. Public

10. PROXEMICS: Intimate Distance
• Intimate Distance: 0 – 18 inches
This zone is mainly for non verbal communication.
Only the intimate people like members of the
family and friends can enter into it.. An example
of intimate distance is two people hugging,
holding hands, or standing side by- side.
People in intimate distance share a unique level of
comfort with one another. Those who are not
comfortable with someone who approaches them
in the intimate zone will experience a great deal of
social discomfort or awkwardness

11. PROXEMICS: Personal Distance
• Personal Distance: 1.5 – 3 feet
This zone is popularly known as the Bubble and it
is meant for the people who are well known to
us. It varies in different cultures and depends on
individual’s personality and the style of
communication. Personal distance is used for
talking with family and close friends. Although
it gives a person a little more space than
intimate distance, it is still very close in
proximity to that of intimacy, and may involve
touching. Like intimate distance, if a stranger
approaches someone in the personal zone, he or
she is likely to feel uncomfortable being in such
close proximity with the stranger.

12. PROXEMICS: Social Distance
• Social Distance: 4 – 11 feet
This zone is meant for gatherings and business
meetings or generally interacting with someone
who is not particularly well known. Social
distance may be used among students, co-
workers, or acquaintances. Generally, people
within social distance do not engage in
physical contact with one another.

13. PROXEMICS: Public Distance
• Public Distance: 12– 25 feet
In this zone, only public interaction is possible.
It demands louder voice, more formal style of
language and reduced speech rate. Public
space is the space that characterizes how close
we sit or stand to someone, like a public figure
or public speaker. So, if you are at an event
listening to a professor give a lecture, you are
probably about 12-25 feet away.

14. PROXEMICS: Overview of Distance

15. PROXEMICS: Spaces
Spaces according to Hall’s definition of Proxemics have 3 following aspects.
1. Fixed Feature Space
2. Semi Fixed Feature Space
3. Informal Space

16. PROXEMICS: Fixed Feature Space
This space is formed by walls and territorial buildings. For example Houses, Buildings,
Cities, Class rooms etc. The use of the class room space could either make the students
comfortable or uncomfortable, feel motivated or demotivated.
Fixed feature space is one of the ways in which people organize activities.

17. PROXEMICS: Semi Fixed Feature Space
This category of space is more important in interpersonal communication. In this, the objects
are already fixed and the position of the objects and the space resulted provide details on the
nature of the interaction as well as the status of the participants. This category of space is
sub divided into two. They are
Sociofugal Space: It keeps the people away from the process of communication. It
transmits connotative meanings such as large, cold, impersonal and so on.
Sociopetal Space: It brings the people together and stimulates involvement in the
process of communication

18. PROXEMICS: Semi Fixed Feature Space
In their book Small Group and Team Communication, Thomas E. Harris and John C.
Sherblom suggest us some ways in which seating arrangements can be used to facilitate
communication between the members.

19. PROXEMICS: Semi Fixed Feature Space
Figure shows the
types of seating
arrangements
explained in
previous slide.

20. PROXEMICS: Informal Space
• It is described as a zone or a bubble that change depending on the individuals location and
circumstances.
• This comprises the individual space around the body determining the personal distance
among people.
• Informal space is significant because it includes distances people unconsciously maintain
when they interact.
This refers to the private space which people maintain when they interact. According to
Hall,
“informal spatial patterns have distinct bounds and such deep if unvoiced, significance that
they form an essential part of culture. To misunderstand this significance may invite disaster.”

21. Personal Space
• A body buffer zone that people maintain between themselves and others a
portable, invisible boundary surrounding us into which others may not trespass.
• First defined by Katz in 1937 from observations of animal behavior
• Applied to human behavior by the anthropologist Hall (1963)
• Sommer (1969) related personal space to psychology & public places (design)
• Personal space is the region surrounding a person which they regard as
psychologically theirs.
• Most people value their personal space and feel discomfort, anger, or anxiety when
their personal space is encroached. Permitting a person to enter personal space and
entering somebody else's personal space are indicators of perception of those people's
relationship

22. PERSONAL SPACE
• Entering somebody's personal space is normally an indication of familiarity and
sometimes intimacy. However, in modern society, especially in crowded urban
communities, it can be difficult to maintain personal space, for example
when in a crowded train, elevator or street.
• Many people find such physical proximity to be psychologically disturbing and
uncomfortable, though it is accepted as a fact of modern life. In an impersonal,
crowded situation, eye contact tends to be avoided. Even in a crowded place,
preserving personal space is important.

23. PERSONAL SPACE: Size
• Person's personal space (and the corresponding physical comfort zone) is highly
variable and difficult to measure.
• Estimates for an average Westerner, for example, place it at about 60
centimeters (24 in) on either side, 70 centimeters (28 in) in front and 40
centimeters (16 in) behind.
• Personal space is highly variable, and can be due to cultural differences and
personal experiences.
• For example, those living in a densely populated places tend to have a lower
expectation of personal space

24. PERSONAL SPACE: Functions
Overload Theory: Too many people too close cause too much stimulation
Stress: Avoid the personal stressors related to being too close with someone
Arousal: Having people Within our personal space creates too much arousal that may be negative
Behavior Constraint: Having personal space prevents people from taking away your personal freedom
Form of Nonverbal Communication: Communicates the type of relationship you are in depending on
personal space distance. Provides info with how people or why people distance themselves
Personal & group privacy: Attempts to achieve your levels of privacy
Intimacy-equilibrium model & Comfort models: Basically we want attain an optimal level of space
Ethological Models: Functions at a cognitive level but reflects evolutionary developments. Based on
what they learned, as well as the way people as a species evolved.

25. THANKYOU