This article defines personal space and distinguishes it from its companion research areas. It then reviews and evaluates current personal space theories and measurement techniques. (JB)

Views proxemics literature from a theoretical framework based on norms and expectations and presents a model for predicting effects of violations of proxemic expectations. (MH)

Participant observation and author introspection were used to collect data in this study of nonverbal communication among Italian Americans in three large American cities. Discussion is given to kinesics (gestures and signs), haptics (touch), proxemics (interiors of homes, exteriors of homes, and spatial arrangements at a wedding dinner), and…

College students seated outdoors and alone on a university campus were approached by a same-sexed "invader" who sat nine inches or 18 inches away. The "invader" asked permission before sitting down or said nothing. Findings agree with equilibrium theory. Presented as the 1976 conference of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.…

Maintaining that the nonverbal elements of communication are ultimately more significant than the verbal elements in determining the eventual success or failure of the journalistic interview, this paper attempts to assist journalists in understanding the complex and subtle nonverbal characteristics of the interview environment. Based on the…

Expands an earlier model of personal space expectations and their violations by specifying primitive terms, constitutive definitions, and the propositional logic underlying the model. (MH)

Examines three particular areas of nonverbal communication important to adult educators: proxemics (interrelated observations and theories of people's use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture), eye contact, and touch. The implications of nonverbal communication for teaching adults are surveyed. (CT)

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)

The study examines changes in assertiveness, territoriality, and personal space as a function of group assertion training. Subjects were 42 females who were assigned to either a treatment (assertion training) group or to a control group. Implications for counseling and use of ethological constructs are discussed. (Author)

Ninety-six male students participated in an experiment studying the relationship between reciprocity and compensation in dyadic communication. The subjects were asked to solve a hypothetical problem and, depending on their pretest instructions, were given an orientation toward competition or cooperation with their partners. Time was used to test…

The convergent validity between the following measures was investigated: use of accomplices, imaginary accomplices, feltboard, disguised questionnaire, and undisguised questionnaire. The first four measures yielded corresponding results. Subjects' awareness proved to be an important methodological consideration. Results were not affected by the…

Examines the quality of communicative interaction and task performance among younger and older women in relation to conversation distance and density. Results indicate that older persons exhibit positive communication behaviors in response to spatial intrusions while younger subjects show the negative, compensatory withdrawal behaviors normally…

This article is intended to help teachers understand nonverbal signals used by students and explains proxemics, a person's use and perception of space, and kinesics, a person's facial and body cures. Teachers are encouraged to evaluate their own nonverbal communication styles. Principles are illustrated with scenarios of students with…

The influence of angle, approach, and sex of subject on the personal space distance needs of the elderly person was examined. Subjects were 20 females and 20 males, age 65 or older, living in the same retirement housing unit. The behavioral measurement technique showed acceptable test-retest reliability. A significant three-way interaction effect…