Why the distance?
Regulating the distances between us and other people provides us with several benefits, including:
Safety: When people are distant, they can't surprise attack us.
Communication: When people are closer, it is easier to communicate with them.
Affection: When they are closer still, we can be intimate.
Threat: The reverse can be used - you may deliberately threaten a person by invading their body space.
Social distances zones
Public Zone
Social Zone
Personal Zone
Intimate Zone
Public Zone : > 12 feet (3m)
That is, when we are walking around town, we will try to keep at least 3 m between us and other people. Of course there are many times when we can`t do this. When we are distant from another person, we feel safety from them. A person at a distance can`t attack us suddenly.
Social Zone : 4 - 12 feet (1.5m - 3m)
Within the social zone, we start to feel a connection with other people. When they are closer, then we can talk with them without having to shout, but still keep them at a safe distance.
This is a comfortable distance for people who are standing in a group but maybe not talking directly with one another.
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