Proxemics

The term proxemics was introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in 1963 to describe the measurable distances between people as they interacted. They are body spacing and posture that are unintentional.Hall pointed out that social distance between people is reliably correlated with physical distance, and described four distances:

1. intimate distance for embracing, touching or whispering (15-45 cm)
2. personal distance for interactions among good friends (45-120 cm)
3. social distance for interactions among acquaintances (1.2-3.5 m)
4. public distance used for public speaking (over 3.5 m)

Hall pointed out that different cultures maintain different standards of personal space. In Latin cultures, for instance, those relative distances are smaller, and people tend to be more comfortable standing close to each other; in Nordic cultures the opposite is true. Realizing and recognizing these cultural differences improves cross-cultural understanding, and helps eliminate discomfort people may feel if the interpersonal distance is too large ("stand-offish") or too small (intrusive).