Proxemics

"Private space" redirects here. For a sector of societal life under an individual's control, see private sphere.

Proxemics is the study of human use of space and the effects that population density has on behavior, communication, and social interaction.[1] Proxemics is one among several subcategories in the study of nonverbal communication, including haptics (touch), kinesics (body movement), vocalics (paralanguage), and chronemics (structure of time).[2]

Edward T. Hall, the cultural anthropologist who coined the term in 1963, defined proxemics as "the interrelated observations and theories of humans' use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture".[3] In his foundational work on proxemics, The Hidden Dimension, Hall emphasized the impact of proxemic behavior (the use of space) on interpersonal communication. According to Hall, the study of proxemics is valuable in evaluating not only the way people interact with others in daily life, but also "the organization of space in [their] houses and buildings, and ultimately the layout of [their] towns".[4] Proxemics remains a hidden component of interpersonal communication that is uncovered through observation and strongly influenced by culture.

  1. ^ "Proxemics". Dictionary.com. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  2. ^ Moore, Nina (2010). Nonverbal Communication:Studies and Applications. New York: Oxford University Press.
  3. ^ Hall, Edward T. (1966). The Hidden Dimension. Anchor Books. ISBN 978-0-385-08476-5.
  4. ^ Hall, Edward T. (October 1963). "A System for the Notation of Proxemic Behavior". American Anthropologist. 65 (5): 1003–1026. doi:10.1525/aa.1963.65.5.02a00020.