Our personal space, that piece of the universe we occupy and call our own, is contained within an invisible boundary surrounding our body. As the owners of this area, we usually decide who may enter and who may not. When our space is invaded, we react in a variety of ways. We back up and retreat, stand our ground as our hands become moist from nervousness, or sometimes even react violently. Our response shows not only our unique personality, but also our cultural background.
For example, cultures that stress individualism such as England, the United States, Germany, and Australia generally demand more space than collective cultures do, and tend to become aggressive when their space is invaded. This idea of space is quite different from the one found in the Mexican and Arab cultures. In Mexico, the physical distance between people when engaged in conversation is closer than what is usual north of the border. And for middle easterner, typical Arab conversations are at close range. Closeness cannot be avoided.
As is the case with most of our behavior, our use of space is directly linked to the value system of our culture. In some Asian cultures, for example, employees do not stand near their bosses; the extended distance demonstrates respect. Extra interpersonal distance is also part of the cultural experience of the people of Scotland and Sweden, for whom it reflects privacy. And in Germany, private space is sacred.
Keys: 1.T 2.F 3.T 4.F 5.F
