Examined the regulation of personal space in preschool children by studying adult-child dyads. Detailed analysis of simultaneous movements revealed a highly significant behavioral pattern consisting predominantly of approaches and withdrawals by both members of the dyad. (Author/DB)

Empirical evidence indicates that intrusions into an individual's personal space may produce anxiety and defensive or avoidance behaviors which might be reduced when conversation occurs between interactants. This paper briefly presents two field experiments designed to investigate this possibility. The first study hypothesized that invasion of…

Observes the seating arrangements by sex of three or more people seated at rectangular tables in 176 social and 150 nonsocial settings. Postulates the importance of situational context and learned sexual norms in the observed spatial behaviors. (RL)

The effects of induced status differences on (1) seating position and (2) interpersonal distance from a confederate of a given status level were investigated. Using behavioral measures, induced status differences were found to influence both the amount of interpersonal distance and the quality of space. The results suggest simulation techniques…

Deals with a study conducted in Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia to determine whether Latin Americans have similar distance and contact orientations regardless of sex and nationality. Concludes that the differences in behavior between the Central and South Americans are significant enough to warrant further research. (MH)

Investigates various ethnic interpretations of appropriate distances for interaction. (MH)

A study investigated the relationship between communication apprehension and two nonverbal variables--proxemic establishment and kinesic behavior--in an intercultural setting. Subjects were 30 high and 30 low apprehensive adults (15 white and 15 black in each category). The subjects were paired to create three groups: the first containing 10 dyads…

Proxemics is a simulation designed to show how man exhibits different behaviors in given distances. Additionally, the simulation, in most instances, shows how people are feeling toward one another at the time a particular distance is used. The four main distances that man observes are intimate, personal, social, and public. Each of these distances…

Included in a current genre of studies on dyadic interaction (i.e., communication involving only two people), the study reported herein focuses on dyadic verbal, nonverbal, and proxemic behaviors and their meanings. The study is inductive in nature and is, by intent, descriptive and analytic rather than predictive. The subjects for the study were…

Personal space in school cafeteria queues was observed for children in kindergarten through sixth grade in public schools. It was found that children segregate themselves both racially and sexually in the queues. In schools that were racially mixed, children stood closer to same-sex children than to other-sex children. (Author)