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The present study was undertaken to explore the reactions to personal space invasions among university students, by using field experiment method. A checklist of compensatory behaviors was developed through focus group discussions. There was a treatment condition, in which personal space of participants was invaded and a control condition, in which the participant's personal space was not invaded; by a female invader. Participants consisted of male and female university students (N=101). Two observers recorded observations, satisfactory co-efficients of concordance were found between their observations. Results have shown that compensatory behaviors were exhibited more in treatment rather than control condition, as 88% of the control group showed no compensatory behavior as compared to 6% of the experimental group. Females exhibited more compensatory behaviors than males. More females moved away, stared, leaned away, browsed, and exhibited flight after personal space invasion.
Key words: Personal space, Invasion, Confederate, Library
The term personal space1 was introduced into the psychological literature to describe the zone around the human body that people feel is 'their space'. This is the absolute minimal normally acceptable distance to separate individuals in most common settings. The dimensions of this zone are not fixed or rigid but vary according to gender, culture, and context, among other factors (Sommer, 2002).
This personal space zone is an area in which others are not usually allowed to enter. Unwanted entrances are usually interpreted as intrusive and may cause the person whose space was invaded to feel uncomfortable and/or annoyed. Individuals are likely to be very familiar with people with whom they use this distance in public. It is difficult to ignore someone at this distance, and when forced into such close proximity strangers will normally, at least acknowledge each other (Lawson, 2001).
According to Hall (1966) personal space is defined as one of the four spatial zones which serve to regulate different social interactions. It is used in public for normal contacts. The personal space zone is reserved for friends and close relations. It regulates how closely a person interacts with others, moves with the person and expands and contracts according to the situation in which one finds him or herself. The person is always at the center of his or her personal space - it is...