Proximity and Distance

Back to: Understanding and Misunderstanding – Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Proximity and distance are features that define the space around a person. Usually, there are several levels of distances: The public distance, used in public areas; the social distance in social situations, e.g. with team members at work, the personal distance with family and friends and the intimate distance, usually just open for close friends and sexual partners.

Spatial distance among persons is a matter of the cultural background as well.

The American anthopologist Edward T. Hall developed a „proxemic theory“ (1966) defining „high-contact-cultures“ with a high extent of physical contact and „low-contact-cultures“ with a higher  degree of physical distance.

Everyday Life

Proximity and distance occur in various situations of everyday life: For example, in some countries it is a definite rule to wait in line until it is your turn, e.g. at the bus stop  (in Great Britain: „queuing up“), in other cultures it is common to press forward as far as you can and not to shy away from physical contact.

However, there are situations where even low-contact-cultures are forced to share most confined spaces, e.g. in subways or lifts. In these situations people usually try to preserve their personal protection zone: they fold their arms or hold newspapers or smartphones as „protection shields“. Mostly they look down to the floor in order to avoid eye contact.

Learn more about the personal spaces persons from different cultures like to have in the following video.

Cultural Proxemics: Personal Space

Also within a certain culture several other factors influence how much proximity or distance is preferred: it depends on how known or familiar you are with the respective other person, if you belong to the same group/subcultural background or not, if you have the same gender or not and from the social status of the dialogue partners.

People from high-contact-cultures often express their wish for a positive relationship with physical proximity. They stand closer to you or touch you – actions that can lead to irritation when you do not understand their cultural background.

However, in all societies there are – often unsaid – rules that define proximity and distance among the societal groups and members. Persons usually feel comfortable in a distance that they learned to be adequate. When people from different cultures interact this may cause misunderstanding.