Examines the dominant role space plays in human social experience. Touches on a number of issues, including territoriality, public v private space, and access to and control over space. (GT)

Nonverbal communication is critical to the success of the communication process. Examines nonverbal techniques for enhancing communication: appearance, voice, body movement and posture, gestures, facial expressions, touch, and space. (LMI)

The new science of Proxemic Behavior (introduced by Edward T. Hall) should be included in the basic triple structure of human communicative behavior: language-paralanguage-kinesthesia. The applications of such a science are many e.g., analysis and study of the narrative character in novels. (Text is in Spanish.) (DS)

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…

It is hypothesized that subjects who are highly anomic will demonstrate less anxiety and higher nonperson orientation than normal subjects will when personal space is invaded. Fifty-six pretested subjects classified as either anomic (14 males, 14 females) or normal (14 males, 14 females) were placed in one of two interview conditions: personal…

Violations of interpersonal spacing expectations have been demonstrated to influence a receiver's perception of the credibility, attraction, and influence of an initiator of such violations. Recent research on distraction and on personal space points to several potential strategies a persuader may adopt when trying to influence another individual.…

In the context of reciprocity theory (in which disclosure by one person elicits self-disclosure by another person), personal space preferences of three-, four-, and five-year-old children were examined. Equal numbers of each age group and sex (N=120) were either given or not given material rewards and were either touched or not touched by the…

Recent research on the role of personal space has demonstrated the effects of violating or not violating a spatial norm on the perceived persuasiveness, credibility, and attractiveness of the message source. The persuasive impact of personal space violations has been difficult to interpret because of the failure to effectively manipulate source…

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…

Communication cannot and should not be studied as the simple, isolated phenomenon known as language, because language occurs in a cultural context and its messages are shaped by nonverbal elements. The basic structure of total communication includes language, paralanguage (vocal-nonverbal communication), and kinesics (communication through…

Discussion of theoretical considerations and practical factors relating to use of library reference service highlights factors involved in desk approachability--need, communication and promotion, physical arrangement of department, positioning (which gives the product a clear image communicating its purpose or use), psychological cost (personal…

Edward Hall's long accepted theories of proxemics, developed in the mid-sixties of this century, promoted the idea that culture plays the definitive role in determining how different individuals use personal space. Contact cultures, inhabited by people who are comfortable with touching and close contact, include those of Arabia, Latin America, and…

The purpose of this report is to present an outline of actual occurrences in communication and their social determinants in the small Spanish-English bilingual community of Los Ojos, New Mexico, with some emphasis on difference in occurrences as related to age. These generalizations are linked to past and current educational practices and social…

Based on the premise that effective teaching depends on successful communication, this booklet discusses the nonverbal dimension of communication. The booklet contends that humans use nonverbal communications for the following reasons: (1) words have limitations; (2) nonverbal signals are powerful; (3) nonverbal messages are likely to be more…