Space (Proxemics)

Proxemics is the study of how space and distance affect, and are a part of, nonverbal communication. The size of a room, the placement of desks or chairs, and an open or closed door, all of these are aspects of space that influence interpersonal communication. The separate cubicles or rooms that are the norm for U.S. American offices, and that guarantee a certain amount of privacy, do not allow for the constant group communication that can be found in a Japanese office, where everyone, even the supervisor, has a desk in one open room, without even dividers between desks. Distance can be a powerful metaphor when referring to human relationships, as in a close friend or someone appearing quite distant. One of the most common ...