The document discusses proxemics, which is the study of how people use and perceive space in communication. It outlines four types of social distances defined by anthropologist Edward T. Hall: intimate distance less than 18 inches for touching or whispering, personal distance of 1.5 to 4 feet for friends and family, social distance of 4 to 12 feet for acquaintances, and public distance of 12 feet or more for public speaking. The distances reflect different levels of formality and familiarity between people in various social and cultural contexts.