PERSONAL SPACE

Personal space depends on the relationship

Personal space or the space between persons during their interactions with each other is another segment of non-verbal communication. Physical distance between persons can indicate familiarity and closeness or otherwise. People who are close to each other tend to keep minimum distance whereas strangers and people who are not on very friendly terms with each other maintain physical distance. In a hierarchical context, while peers move close to each other, subordinates maintain a certain distance from their superiors. Similarly, the poor person refrains from going close to a rich person. In ancient societies, besides economic factors, class, community, colour, profession, rank, education and other such factors constituted the basis for physical space. All these factors are relevant for the proper understanding of the spatial non-verbal language. The British, particularly, respect such spatial considerations. Not only the length of space, but even the physical position has its own significance. Front seats and special seats, as we all know, are occupied by relatively senior and more important persons. When peers are in conversation, or speaking on the telephone, the subordinates normally wait at a distance awaiting the signal to approach. On the contrary, when the subordinates are in conversation or speaking on the telephone, the superior moves close and often shows his impatience. Whether it is in an organization, or in a social context, personal space has its own significance, which one has to appreciate so as to make communication effective.

EXHIBIT: Keeping Proper Distance

It is well understood that the distance people maintain while communicating with each other indicates how close they are to each other in terms of social or business relationship. While close friends and people at the same hierarchical level keep the physical gap to the minimum, strangers as well as people who have a superior-subordinate relationship do not get too close. The proximity or otherwise between two persons would also vary from culture to culture and country to country.

According to a newspaper report, here is how close you stand when standing next to someone in office:

1.           10 feet if you are an Asian

2.           3-5 feet if you are an American

3.           One foot if you are a Latin American

Every society and even every organization would have its own well-understood norms.