1. Proxemics throughout Culture
By: Brittany Bahr, Chris Lanham, Kaila Knueppel, Machaela Schultz, Robert Schroeder, & Sarah Frelich

2. Definition by Hall
“Proxemics is in the nature of animals including man to exhibit behavior which we call territoriality. In doing so, they use the senses to distinguish between one space or distance and another.”

3. Proxemics is defined in many ways
Katz described proxemics as the shell of a snail
Stern developed the concept of a personal world

4. Uexkull uses the analogy of being “surrounded by soap bubble worlds”
Haydek and Sundstrom use the electrical field analogy

5. Hall’s Four Distance Zones
Middle class, northeastern
U.S. and Northern Europe

6. Comparing Cultures Contact
Non-contact
Arab
Southern Europeans
Latin Americans
Northern Europeans
Asians
Americans
Indians

7. Variables
Age
Sex
Relationships
Environment
Ethnicity

8. “Proxemics research requires an inordinate amount of time
“Proxemics research requires an inordinate amount of time. Because of the many variables present, few studies have been done which examine its impact.” ~Edward Hall

9. Latin Americans Complete strangers Kissing on the cheek
Less spatial proximity
More Intimate contact

10. Latin Americans Children shake hands
Men to women greet with a (beso) kiss
Men to men greet with hug
18 inches
Wives avoid eye contact with husbands

11. North Americans
Territorial
Hostile
Value space and eye contact

12. North Americans
Barriers
Live alone
Bigger homes

13. North Americans Greetings Man to man Woman to woman Man to woman
Gestures
Whistling
Waving
The finger

14. African Cultures Ethiopia
Greetings
Man to Man
Woman to woman
Man to woman
Personal space and touching
Differs
Same sex touching is acceptable
example: males holding hands
Opposite sex touching less common

15. Uganda Greetings Personal space Man to man Woman to woman Man to woman
Minimal
Less than an arm’s length of space
Public transportation

16. European Northern Europe Great Britain Germany Scandinavia
Similar to the U.S.
Non-contact
Casual distance: 16”
Great Britain
Germany
Scandinavia

17. European Southern Europe Spain France Italy Greece and Turkey
Contact cultures
Touch is common
Closer casual distance
Spain
France
Italy
Greece and Turkey

18. Asian Cultures
No space in public
Sit next to you
Greet with bow

19. China No touch in conversation Women hold hands
Within two feet in conversation

20. Russia India No touching unless family 3 feet apart when talking
Men hold hands
No PDA
Cupping faces

21. Japan Thailand
No touching
No hugging friends
Couples keep distance

22. Activity Time!!!

23. References
(n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2013, from YouTube:
Proxemics: The Hula Hoop and Use of Personal Space. (2000). Communication Teacher, 4.
Greetings From Around the World. (2009). Retrieved February 15, 2013, from Let's Get Creative:
Brown, J. (n.d.). Five Reasons You Should Start Using the Forearm Handshake. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from Primer:
Dolphin, C. Z. (1988). Beyond Hall: Variables in the Use of Personal Space in Intercultural Transactions. The Howard Journal of Communications,
Lucy. (2010, July 14). Kiss, hug or shake hands? Retrieved February 15, 2013, from Pocket Cultures:
Proxemics. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2013, from Weebly: