Differentiate between personal space and privacy. Elucidate the four zones of personal space as posited by Edward Hall.

 Personal Space

One of the most sacred rules of social behaviour is ‘Never transgress into your neighbour’s personal space’. To put it simply, we all need a private space to just sit, think, study, sleep or relax... a special place, just to be alone, to spend some ‘me time’ in the privacy of our thoughts. Personal space is that region surrounding a person which psychologically they regard as ‘their turf’. Most people value their personal space and feel discomfort, if a stranger comes too close to you while striking a conversation; anger, or anxiety when their personal space is invaded. Personal space thus refers to the distance you will automatically take a step backwards to restore the distance needed between people when they interact. It is the amount of room that is needed to feel safe and comfortable. It is the immediate region which surrounds us and is seen as our psychological property. If people try to enter that space, one starts feeling closed in, uncomfortable and anxious.

In 1960’s Edward Hall coined the term ‘Proxemics’ to refer to ways in which people use physical space to regulate social interaction. His book The Hidden Dimension is a landmark in the field of personal space. Katz (1937) and Sommer (1969) are some other seminal researchers in the field. According to them, personal space is the invisible physical boundary that we draw in between us and other people. It decides how close we will go to that person or allow him to come close to us. So, perhaps the better term to use could be ‘interpersonal distance because it only becomes relevant when we are interacting with others. We only become aware of it when somebody invades it.

Privacy - Privacy, personal space, and territorial behavior affect the people’s perception of environmental comfort and quality. The need for privacy, personal space, and territory is universal.These three concepts (privacy, territorial behavior,and personal space) are closely linked. Privacy refersto the management ofinformation orthe regulation of social interaction with one’s surrounding (Laufer, et al, 1973 & Sundstrom 1986). It is an intentional retreat from unwanted observation, audition, distraction or interruption.

The personal space is often an indicator of the kind of relationship we share with the person, our society and culture. For example, an affectionate hug from a closefriend will be perfectly alright for an individual but a hug from a stranger will be not only be uncomfortable but even offending for most. Hence, just as body movements and facial expressions can communicate a great deal of nonverbal information, so can this physical space between individuals. Edward Hall (1966) identified four zones of personal space. He then subdivided each one of them into two subcategories, ‘near’ and ‘far’.

i. Intimate Distance: This is the smallest zone and it tends to be about 18 inches apart. As the name suggests, this space is open only for those who are very close to us. This distance often shows great comfort level and closeness that we share with the person. So, only our life-partners, children, close family members, dear friends and pets can enter this space without bothering us. Displays of affection and comforting are commonly conducted within this space. The only fluke strangers an individual typically accepts within this intimate space are health care professionals or in situations like playing a wrestling match. Hall describes’ near’ situations like when we have body contact, for example, hugging and “far’ when we are close but not really touching like when we whisper. If a stranger tries to enter in this reserved space, we feel very uncomfortable.

ii. Personal Distance: This physical distance too is for close friends and family members. The closer we can be to the person indicates how close we are to him/her emotionally. It begins about an arm’s length away. It extends from 18 inches to 4 feet. This space is used in conversations with friends, to chat with associates, and in group discussions. Such informal conversations and with friends, acquaintances are held in this space. Strangers are prohibited in this space too. The ‘near’ is for the couples or close friends while far’ is for the acquaintances in a social setting.

iii. Social Distance: This distance ranges from 4 to 12 feet and is usually used for formal social interactions with known people, new acquaintances or even strangers. The range of distance changes according to the situation. For example, in an informal business meeting with your co-worker, you can be more physically closer than a formal business meeting with a client whom you are meeting for the first time.

iv. Public Distance: The space beyond social space is open to all and is known as public space. This space, which extends more than 12 feet, is essentially used for public speaking situations for large audiences like, speeches, lectures, presentations, performances etc. The “far’ phase of this distance can be seen when a high-profile leader is addressing the gathering. The distance between him and the audience tends to be much greater. Sometimes, such categories are criticized as being too rigid but they do explain the ways in which they influence behaviour. The term is used literally or symbolically in our layman conversations. For example, if we share a good relationship with someone, we talk about being ‘close”; if we no longer get along, we say, let us keep distance. Being in touch or being distant is actually talking about ‘personal space’.

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